Sample records for physiologically important ligand

Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids accumulated in the macula of the human retina and are known as the macular pigments (MP). These pigments account for the yellow color of the macula and appear to play an important role in protecting against age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The uptake of lutein and zeaxanthin in human eyes is remarkably specific. It is likely that specific transport or binding proteins are involved. The objective is to determine whether transthyretin (TTR) is a transport protein in human plasma and could thus deliver lutein from the blood to the retina. In this study, they used a biosynthetic {sup 13}C-lutein tracer and gas chromatography-combustion interfaced-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GCC-IRMS) to gain the requisite sensitivity to detect the minute amounts of lutein expected as a physiologicalligand for human transthyretin. The biosynthetic {sup 13}C-labeled lutein tracer was purified from algae. Healthy women (n = 4) each ingested 1 mg of {sup 13}C-labeled lutein daily for 3 days and a blood sample was collected 24 hours after the final dose. Plasma TTR was isolated by retinol-binding protein (RBP)-sepharose affinity chromatography and extracted with chloroform. The {sup 13}C/{sup 12}C ratio in the TTR extract was measured by GCC-IRMS. There was no {sup 13}C-lutein enrichment in the pure TTR extract. This result indicated that lutein is not associated with TTR in human plasma after ingestion in physiological amounts. Some hydrophobic compounds with yellow color may bind to human TTR in the plasma. However, this association needs to be further proved by showing specificity. The study provides a new approach for carotenoid-binding protein studies using a stable isotope tracer method combined with the high precision of GCC-IRMS. The mechanism of selective transport, uptake, and accumulation of lutein in human macula remain to be determined.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids accumulated in the macula of the human retina and are known as the macular pigments (MP). These pigments account for the yellow color of the macula and appear to play an important role in protecting against age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The uptake of lutein and zeaxanthin in human eyes is remarkably specific. It is likely that specific transport or binding proteins are involved. The objective is to determine whether transthyretin (TTR) is a transport protein in human plasma and could thus deliver lutein from the blood to the retina. In this study, they used a biosynthetic 13C-lutein tracer and gas chromatography-combustion interfaced-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GCC-IRMS) to gain the requisite sensitivity to detect the minute amounts of lutein expected as a physiologicalligand for human transthyretin. The biosynthetic 13C-labeled lutein tracer was purified from algae. Healthy women (n = 4) each ingested 1 mg of 13C-labeled lutein daily for 3 days and a blood sample was collected 24 hours after the final dose. Plasma TTR was isolated by retinol-binding protein (RBP)-sepharose affinity chromatography and extracted with chloroform. The 13C/12C ratio in the TTR extract was measured by GCC-IRMS. There was no 13C-lutein enrichment in the pure TTR extract. This result indicated that lutein is not associated with TTR in human plasma after ingestion in physiological amounts. Some hydrophobic compounds with yellow color may bind to human TTR in the plasma. However, this association needs to be further proved by showing specificity. The study provides a new approach for carotenoid-binding protein studies using a stable isotope tracer method combined with the high precision of GCC-IRMS. The mechanism of selective transport, uptake, and accumulation of lutein in human macula remain to be determined.

Nanotechnology has been setting benchmarks for the last two decades, but the origins of this technology reach back to ancient history. Today, nanoparticles of both metallic and non-metallic origin are under research and development for applications in various fields of biology/therapeutics. Physiologicallyimportant metals are of concern because they are compatible with the human system in terms of absorption, assimilation, excretion, and side effects. There are several physiologically inorganic metals that are present in the human body with a wide range of biological activities. Some of these metals are magnesium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc, selenium and molybdenum. These metals are synthesized in the form of nanoparticles by different physical and chemical methods. Physiologicallyimportant nanoparticles are currently under investigation for their bio-medical applications as well as for therapeutics. Along with the applicative aspects of nanoparticles, another domain that is of great concern is the risk assessment of these nanoparticles to avoid unnecessary hazards. It has been seen that these nanoparticles have been shown to possess toxicity in biological systems. Conventional physical and chemical methods of metal nanoparticle synthesis may be one possible reason for nanoparticle toxicity that can be overcome by synthesis of nanoparticles from biological sources. This review is an attempt to establish metal nanoparticles of physiologicalimportance to be the best candidates for future nanotechnological tools and medicines, owing to the acceptability and safety in the human body. This can only be successful if these particles are synthesized with a better biocompatibility and low or no toxicity.

Full Text Available Mas-related G-protein coupled receptor member D (MRGPRD is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR which belongs to the Mas-related GPCRs expressed in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG. In this study, we investigated two novel ligands in addition to beta-alanine: (1 beta-aminoisobutyric acid, a physiologically active substance, with which possible relation to tumors has been seen together with beta-alanine; (2 diethylstilbestrol, a synthetic estrogen hormone. In addition to the novel ligands, we found that transfection of MRGPRD leads fibroblast cells to form spheroids, which would be related to oncogenicity. To understand the MRGPRD novel character, oncogenicity, a large chemical library was screened in order to obtain MRGPRD antagonists to utilize in exploring the character. The antagonist in turn inhibited the spheroid proliferation that is dependent on MRGPRD signaling as well as MRGPRD signals activated by beta-alanine. The antagonist, a small-molecule compound we found in this study, is a potential anticancer agent.

Cortisol has a distinct circadian rhythm with low concentrations at night, rising in the early hours of the morning, peaking on waking and declining over the day to low concentrations in the evening. Loss of this circadian rhythm, as seen in jetlag and shift work, is associated with fatigue in the short term and diabetes and obesity in the medium to long term. Patients with adrenal insufficiency on current glucocorticoid replacement with hydrocortisone have unphysiological cortisol concentrations being low on waking and high after each dose of hydrocortisone. Patients with adrenal insufficiency complain of fatigue, a poor quality of life and there is evidence of poor health outcomes including obesity potentially related to glucocorticoid replacement. New technologies are being developed that deliver more physiological glucocorticoid replacement including hydrocortisone by subcutaneous pump, Plenadren, a once-daily modified-release hydrocortisone and Chronocort, a delayed and sustained absorption hydrocortisone formulation that replicates the overnight profile of cortisol. In this review, we summarise the evidence regarding physiological glucocorticoid replacement with a focus on relevance to paediatrics. PMID:27582458

Full Text Available Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH is a polymorphic enzyme, existing in multiple isoenzymes divided into several classes and localized in different organs. ADH plays a significant role in the metabolism of many biologically important substances, catalyzing the oxidation or reduction of a wide spectrum of specific substrates. The best characterized function of ADH is protection against excess of ethanol and some other exogenous xenobiotics and products of lipid peroxidation. The isoenzymes of alcohol dehydrogenase also participate in the metabolism of retinol and serotonin. The total alcohol dehydrogenase activity is significantly higher in cancer tissues than in healthy organs (e.g. liver, stomach, colorectum. The changes in activity of particular ADH isoenzymes in the sera of patients with different cancers (especially of the digestive system seem to be caused by release of these isoenzymes from cancer cells, and may play a potential role as markers of this cancer. The particular isoenzymes of ADH present in the serum may indicate the cancer localization. Alcohol dehydrogenase may also be useful for diagnostics of non-cancerous liver diseases (e.g. viral hepatitis, non-alcoholic cirrhosis.

The CXC chemokines, CXCL4, -9, -10, -11, CXCL4L1, and the CC chemokine CCL21, activate CXC chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3), a cell-surface G protein-coupled receptor expressed mainly by Th1 cells, cytotoxic T (Tc) cells and NK cells that have a key role in immunity and inflammation. However, CXCR3 is also expressed by vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells, and appears to be important in controlling physiological vascular function. In the last decade, evidence from pre-clinical and clinical studies has revealed the participation of CXCR3 and its ligands in multiple cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) of different aetiologies including atherosclerosis, hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, as well as in heart transplant rejection and transplant coronary artery disease (CAD). CXCR3 ligands have also proven to be valid biomarkers for the development of heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction, suggesting an underlining pathophysiological relation between levels of these chemokines and the deve...

Full Text Available Seed quality is the result of the sum of genetic, physical, physiological and sanitary attributes that affect seed ability to perform vital functions related to germination, vigor, and longevity. The expression of genes associated with physiological quality can be assessed by means of germination and vigor analyses, as well as by transcript and protein analyses. The objective in this work was to review the relevance of amylase group enzymes to the physiological quality of maize seeds. Within this group, α-amylase (1,4-α-D-glucan glucanohydrolase E.C 3.2.1.1 plays an important role in starch hydrolysis, and is responsible for 90% of the amylolytic activity in maize seeds. It is responsible for starch conversion into sugars (e.g., destrin, which is used for embryo growth. β-amylase (1,4-α-D-glucan maltohydrolase E.C 3.2.1.2 catalyzes the release of maltose and dextrins from the non-reducing ends of starch. Research has shown that amylase enzymes are directly linked to physiological quality of maize seeds. Alpha- and beta-amylases are mainly involved in the germination process and seed heterosis, and can also be used as molecular markers associated with seed tolerance for drying.

Many of the threats to the persistence of populations of sensitive species have physiological or pathological mechanisms, and those mechanisms are best understood through the inherently integrative discipline of physiological ecology. The desert tortoise was listed under the Endangered Species Act largely due to a newly recognized upper respiratory disease thought to cause mortality in individuals and severe declines in populations. Numerous hypotheses about the threats to the persistence of desert tortoise populations involve acquisition of nutrients, and its connection to stress and disease. The nutritional wisdom hypothesis posits that animals should forage not for particular food items, but instead, for particular nutrients such as calcium and phosphorus used in building bones. The optimal foraging hypothesis suggests that, in circumstances of resource abundance, tortoises should forage as dietary specialists as a means of maximizing intake of resources. The optimal digestion hypothesis suggests that tortoises should process ingesta in ways that regulate assimilation rate. Finally, the cost-of-switching hypothesis suggests that herbivores, like the desert tortoise, should avoid switching food types to avoid negatively affecting the microbe community responsible for fermenting plants into energy and nutrients. Combining hypotheses into a resource acquisition theory leads to novel predictions that are generally supported by data presented here. Testing hypotheses, and synthesizing test results into a theory, provides a robust scientific alternative to the popular use of untested hypotheses and unanalyzed data to assert the needs of species. The scientific approach should focus on hypotheses concerning anthropogenic modifications of the environment that impact physiological processes ultimately important to population phenomena. We show how measurements of such impacts as nutrient starvation, can cause physiological stress, and that the endocrine mechanisms

Full Text Available Hydrogen sulfide (H2S is an emerging neuromodulator that is considered to be a gasotransmitter similar to nitrogen oxide (NO and carbon monoxide (CO. H2S exerts universal cytoprotective effects and acts as a defense mechanism in organisms ranging from bacteria to mammals. It is produced by the enzymes cystathionine β-synthase (CBS, cystathionine ϒ-lyase (CSE, 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MST, and D-amino acid oxidase (DAO, which are also involved in tissue-specific biochemical pathways for H2S production in the human body. H2S exerts a wide range of pathological and physiological functions in the human body, from endocrine system and cellular longevity to hepatic protection and kidney function. Previous studies have shown that H2S plays important roles in peripheral nerve regeneration and degeneration and has significant value during Schwann cell dedifferentiation and proliferation but it is also associated with axonal degradation and the remyelination of Schwann cells. To date, physiological and toxic levels of H2S in the human body remain unclear and most of the mechanisms of action underlying the effects of H2S have yet to be fully elucidated. The primary purpose of this review was to provide an overview of the role of H2S in the human body and to describe its beneficial effects.

Full Text Available The peptide-signaling molecules (<50 amino acid residues occur in a wide variety of invertebrate and vertebrate organisms, playing pivotal roles in physiological, endocrine, and developmental processes. While some of these peptides display similar structures in mammals and invertebrates, others differ with respect to their structure and function in a species-specific manner. Such a conservation of basic structure and function implies that many peptide-signaling molecules arose very early in the evolutionary history of some taxa, while species-specific characteristics led us to suggest that they also acquire the ability to evolve in response to specific environmental conditions. In this paper, we describe GLWamide-family peptides that function as signaling molecules in the process of muscle contraction, metamorphosis, and settlement in cnidarians. The peptides are produced by neurons and are therefore referred to as neuropeptides. We discuss the importance of the neuropeptides in both developmental and physiological processes in a subset of hydrozoans, as well as the potential use as a seed compound in drug development and aspects related to the protection of corals.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an emerging neuromodulator that is considered to be a gasotransmitter similar to nitrogen oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO). H2S exerts universal cytoprotective effects and acts as a defense mechanism in organisms ranging from bacteria to mammals. It is produced by the enzymes cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), cystathionine ϒ-lyase (CSE), 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MST), and D-amino acid oxidase (DAO), which are also involved in tissue-specific biochemical pathways for H2S production in the human body. H2S exerts a wide range of pathological and physiological functions in the human body, from endocrine system and cellular longevity to hepatic protection and kidney function. Previous studies have shown that H2S plays important roles in peripheral nerve regeneration and degeneration and has significant value during Schwann cell dedifferentiation and proliferation but it is also associated with axonal degradation and the remyelination of Schwann cells. To date, physiological and toxic levels of H2S in the human body remain unclear and most of the mechanisms of action underlying the effects of H2S have yet to be fully elucidated. The primary purpose of this review was to provide an overview of the role of H2S in the human body and to describe its beneficial effects. PMID:27413423

Secretion of ligands of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily is a conserved response of parenchymal tissues to injury and inflammation that commonly perpetuates elimination of dysfunctional cellular components by apoptosis. The same signals of tissue injury that induce apoptosis in somatic cells activate stem cells and initiate the process of tissue regeneration as a coupling mechanism of injury and recovery. Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells upregulate the TNF family receptors under stress conditions and are transduced with trophic signals. The progeny gradually acquires sensitivity to receptor-mediated apoptosis along the differentiation process, which becomes the major mechanism of negative regulation of mature proliferating hematopoietic lineages and immune homeostasis. Receptor/ligand interactions of the TNF family are physiological mechanisms transducing the need for repair, which may be harnessed in pathological conditions and transplantation. Because these interactions are physiological mechanisms of injury, neutralization of these pathways has to be carefully considered in disorders that do not involve intrinsic aberrations of excessive susceptibility to apoptosis.

Full Text Available As opposed to humans, insects rely heavily on an acute olfactory system for survival and reproduction. Two major types of olfactory proteins, namely, odorant-binding proteins (OBPs and odorant receptors (ORs, may contribute to the selectivity and sensitivity of the insects’ olfactory system. Here, we aimed at addressing the question whether OBPs highly enriched in the antennae of the southern house mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus, contribute at least in part to the selective reception of physiologically relevant compounds. Using a fluorescence reporter and a panel of 34 compounds, including oviposition attractants, human-derived attractants, and repellents, we measured binding affinities of CquiOBP1, CquiOBP2, and CquiOBP5. Based on dissociation constants, we surmised that CquiOBP2 is a carrier for the oviposition attractant skatole, whereas CquiOBP1 and CquiOBP5 might transport the oviposition pheromone MOP, a human-derived attractant nonanal, and the insect repellent picardin. Binding of these three ligands to CquiOBP1 was further analyzed by examining the influence of pH on apparent affinity as well as by docking these three ligands into CquiOBP1. Our findings suggest that CquiOBP1 might discriminate MOP from nonanal/picaridin on the basis of the midpoint transition of a pH-dependence conformational change, and that MOP is better accommodated in the binding cavity than the other two ligands. These findings, along with previous experimental evidence suggesting that CquiOBP1 does not detect nonanal in vivo, suggest that OBP selectivity may not be clearly manifested in their dissociation constants.

Understanding opportunities to maximize the efficient digestion and assimilation by production animals of plant- and animal-derived protein products is critical for farmers, nutritionists, and feed manufacturers to sustain and expand the affordable production of high quality animal products for human consumption. The challenge to nutritionists is to match gastrointestinal tract load to existing or ­inducible digestive and absorptive capacities. The challenge to feed manufacturers is to develop products that are efficient substrates for digestion, absorption, and/or both events. Ultimately, the efficient absorption of digesta proteins depends on the mediated passage (transport) of protein hydrosylate products as dipeptides and unbound amino acids across the lumen- and blood-facing membranes of intestinal absorptive cells. Data testing the relative efficiency of supplying protein as hydrolysates or specific dipeptides versus as free amino acids, and the response of animals in several physiological states to feeding of protein hydrolysates, are presented and reviewed in this chapter. Next, data describing the transport mechanisms responsible for absorbing protein hydrolysate digestion products, and the known and putative regulation of these mechanisms by their substrates (small peptides) and hormones are presented and reviewed. Several conclusions are drawn regarding the efficient use of protein hydrolysate-based diets for particular physiological states, the economically-practical application of which likely will depend on technological advances in the manufacture of protein hydrolysate products.

Since its first crystallization, the aqueous structure of the tellurium-containing experimental drug AS-101 has never been studied. We show that, under the aqueous conditions in which it is administered, AS-101 is subjected to an immediate ligand-substitution reaction with water, yielding a stable hydrolyzed oxide anion product that is identified, for the first time, to be TeOCl3(-). Studying the structure of AS-101 in propylene glycol (PG), an alcoholic solvent often used for the topical and oral administration of AS-101, revealed the same phenomenon of ligand-substitution reaction between the alcoholic ligands. Upon exposure to water, the PG-substituted product is also hydrolyzed to the same tellurium(IV) oxide form, TeOCl3(-).

Underlying recent developments in health care and new treatments for disease are advances in basic medical sciences. This edition of "Webwatch" focuses on sites dealing with basic medical sciences, with particular attention given to physiology. There is a vast amount of information on the web related to physiology. The sites that are included here…

The impact of basis set choice has been considered for a series of transition metal (TM) species. The need for higher level correlation consistent basis sets on both the metal and ligand has been investigated, and permutations in the pairings of basis set used for TM's and basis set used for ligands can lead to effective routes to complete basis set (CBS) limit extrapolations of thermochemical energetics with little change in thermochemical predictions as compared to those resulting from the use of traditional basis set pairings, while enabling computational cost savings. Basis set superposition errors (BSSE) that can arise have also been considered.

RNA-based genetic regulation is exemplified by metabolite-binding riboswitches that modulate gene expression through conformational changes. Crystal structures show that the Escherichia coli btuB riboswitch contains a kissing loop interaction that is in close proximity to the bound ligand. To analyze the role of the kissing loop interaction in the riboswitch regulatory mechanism, we used RNase H cleavage assays to probe the structure of nascent riboswitch transcripts produced by the E. coli RNA polymerase. By monitoring the folding of the aptamer, kissing loop, and riboswitch expression platform, we established the conformation of each structural component in the absence or presence of bound adenosylcobalamin. We found that the kissing loop interaction is not essential for ligand binding. However, we showed that kissing loop formation improves ligand binding efficiency and is required to couple ligand binding to the riboswitch conformational changes involved in regulating gene expression. These results support a mechanism by which the btuB riboswitch modulates the formation of a tertiary structure to perform metabolite sensing and regulate gene expression. PMID:26370077

We propose a mechanism for binding of diatomic ligands to heme based on a dynamical orbital selection process. This scenario may be described as bonding determined by local valence fluctuations. We support this model using linear-scaling first-principles calculations, in combination with dynamical mean-field theory, applied to heme, the kernel of the hemoglobin metalloprotein central to human respiration. We find that variations in Hund’s exchange coupling induce a reduction of the iron 3d density, with a concomitant increase of valence fluctuations. We discuss the comparison between our computed optical absorption spectra and experimental data, our picture accounting for the observation of optical transitions in the infrared regime, and how the Hund’s coupling reduces, by a factor of 5, the strong imbalance in the binding energies of heme with CO and O2 ligands.

Full Text Available Group decisions on the timing of mutually exclusive activities pose a dilemma: monopolized decision-making by a single leader compromises the optimal timing of activities by the others, while independent decision-making by all group members undermines group coherence. Theory suggests that initiation of foraging should be determined by physiological demand in social foragers, thereby resolving the dilemma of group coordination. However, empirical support is scant, perhaps because intrinsic qualities predisposing individuals to leadership (social status, experience or personality, or their interactions with satiation level, have seldom been simultaneously considered. Here, we examine which females initiated foraging in eider (Somateria mollissima brood-rearing coalitions, characterized by female dominance hierarchies and potentially large individual differences in energy requirements due to strenuous breeding effort. Several physiological and social factors, except for female breeding experience and boldness towards predators, explained foraging initiation. Initiators spent a larger proportion of time submerged during foraging bouts, had poorer body condition and smaller structural size, but they were also aggressive and occupied central positions. Initiation probability also declined with female group size as expected given random assignment of initiators. However, the relative importance of physiological predictors of leadership propensity (active foraging time, body condition, structural size exceeded those of social predictors (aggressiveness, spatial position by an order of magnitude. These results confirm recent theoretical work suggesting that 'leading according to need' is an evolutionary viable strategy regardless of group heterogeneity or underlying dominance structure.

Group decisions on the timing of mutually exclusive activities pose a dilemma: monopolized decision-making by a single leader compromises the optimal timing of activities by the others, while independent decision-making by all group members undermines group coherence. Theory suggests that initiation of foraging should be determined by physiological demand in social foragers, thereby resolving the dilemma of group coordination. However, empirical support is scant, perhaps because intrinsic qualities predisposing individuals to leadership (social status, experience or personality), or their interactions with satiation level, have seldom been simultaneously considered. Here, we examine which females initiated foraging in eider (Somateria mollissima) brood-rearing coalitions, characterized by female dominance hierarchies and potentially large individual differences in energy requirements due to strenuous breeding effort. Several physiological and social factors, except for female breeding experience and boldness towards predators, explained foraging initiation. Initiators spent a larger proportion of time submerged during foraging bouts, had poorer body condition and smaller structural size, but they were also aggressive and occupied central positions. Initiation probability also declined with female group size as expected given random assignment of initiators. However, the relative importance of physiological predictors of leadership propensity (active foraging time, body condition, structural size) exceeded those of social predictors (aggressiveness, spatial position) by an order of magnitude. These results confirm recent theoretical work suggesting that 'leading according to need' is an evolutionary viable strategy regardless of group heterogeneity or underlying dominance structure.

The wingless/int1 (WNT)/Frizzled (FZD) signalling pathway controls numerous cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, cell-fate decisions, migration and plays a crucial role during embryonic development. Nineteen mammalian WNTs can bind to 10 FZDs thereby activating different downstream pathways such as WNT/β-catenin, WNT/planar cell polarity and WNT/Ca(2+) . However, the mechanisms of signalling specification and the involvement of heterotrimeric G proteins are still unclear. Disturbances in the pathways can lead to various diseases ranging from cancer, inflammatory diseases to metabolic and neurological disorders. Due to the presence of seven-transmembrane segments, evidence for coupling between FZDs and G proteins and substantial structural differences in class A, B or C GPCRs, FZDs were grouped separately in the IUPHAR GPCR database as the class FZD within the superfamily of GPCRs. Recently, important progress has been made pointing to a direct activation of G proteins after WNT stimulation. WNT/FZD and G protein coupling remain to be fully explored, although the basic observation supporting the nature of FZDs as GPCRs is compelling. Because the involvement of different (i) WNTs; (ii) FZDs; and (iii) intracellular binding partners could selectively affect signalling specification, in this review we present the current understanding of receptor/ligand selectivity of FZDs and WNTs. We pinpoint what is known about signalling specification and the physiological relevance of these interactions with special emphasis on FZD-G protein interactions.

This study investigated the relative importance of physiological, anthropometric, and skill qualities to team selection in professional rugby league. Eighty-six high performance rugby league players underwent measurements of anthropometric (height, body mass, sum of seven skinfolds), physiological (speed, change of direction speed, lower body muscular power, repeated-sprint ability, prolonged high-intensity intermittent running ability, and maximal aerobic power), technical skill (tackling proficiency, draw and pass proficiency), and perceptual skill (reactive agility, pattern recall, pattern prediction) qualities. A linear discriminant analysis was also conducted comparing those players successful in gaining selection into the professional National Rugby League team with those not selected to determine which, if any, of these qualities could predict selection. Players selected to play in the first National Rugby League game of the season were older, more experienced, leaner, had faster 10 m and 40 m sprint times, and superior vertical jump performances, maximal aerobic power, tackling proficiency and dual-task draw and pass ability than non-selected players. Skinfold thickness and dual-task draw and pass proficiency were the only variables that contributed significantly (P team selection in professional rugby league.

Full Text Available Viruses interact intimately with the host cell at nearly every stage of replication, and the cell model that is chosen to study virus infection is critically important. Although primary cells reflect the phenotype of healthy cells in vivo better than cell lines, their limited lifespan makes experimental manipulation challenging. However, many tumor-derived and artificially immortalized cell lines have defects in induction of interferon-stimulated genes and other antiviral defenses. These defects can affect virus replication, especially when cells are infected at lower, more physiologically relevant, multiplicities of infection. Understanding the selective pressures and mechanisms underlying the loss of innate signaling pathways is helpful to choose immortalized cell lines without impaired antiviral defense. We describe the trials and tribulations we encountered while searching for an immortalized cell line with intact innate signaling, and how directed immortalization of primary cells avoids many of the pitfalls of spontaneous immortalization.

Full Text Available Forests are the dominant land use in Albania, occupying almost 1.5 million hectares [11], but c.a. 70% of the forest area belong coppices and shrub forests, as the results of unsustainable practices, intensive cutting and overgrazing. Forest ecosystems serve many ecological roles, including regulation of the planet's carbon and water cycles. Forests are also important components of economic systems. Research in the Forest Ecophysiology studies on the Faculty of Forestry Sciences is intended to produce biological knowledge that can be used to better manage forest resources for sustainable production of economic and non-economic values and aims to improve the understanding of past and current dynamics of Mediterranean and temperate forests. The overarching goal is to quantify the influence of genetics, climate, environmental stresses, and forest management inputs on forest productivity and carbon sequestration, and to understand the physiological mechanisms underlying these responses.Process-based models open the way to useful predictions of the future growth rate of forests and provide a means of assessing the probable effects of variations in climate and management on forest productivity. As such they have the potential to overcome the limitations of conventional forest growth and yield models. This paper discusses the basic physiological processes that determine the growth of plants, the way they are affected by environmental factors and how we can improve processes that are well-understood such as growth from leaf to stand level and productivity. The study trays to show a clear relationship between temperature and water relations and other factors affecting forest plant germination and growth that are often looked at separately. This integrated approach will provide the most comprehensive source for process-based modelling, which is valuable to ecologists, plant physiologists, forest planners and environmental scientists [10]. Actually the

Full Text Available Climate models predict more frequent and more severe extreme events (e.g. heat waves, extended drought periods, flooding in many regions for the next decades. The impact of adverse environmental conditions on crop plants is ecologically and economically relevant. This review is focused on drought and heat effects on physiological status and productivity of agronomically important plants. Stomatal opening represents an important regulatory mechanism during drought and heat stress since it influences simultaneously water loss via transpiration and CO2 diffusion into the leaf apoplast which further is utilized in photosynthesis. Along with the reversible short-term control of stomatal opening, stomata and leaf epidermis may produce waxy deposits and irreversibly down-regulate the stomatal conductance and non-stomatal transpiration. As a consequence photosynthesis will be negatively affected. Rubisco activase - a key enzyme in keeping the Calvin cycle functional – is heat-sensitive and may become a limiting factor at elevated temperature. The accumulated reactive oxygen species during stress represent an additional challenge under unfavorable conditions. Drought and heat cause accumulation of free amino acids which are partially converted into compatible solutes such as proline. This is accompanied by lower rates of both nitrate reduction and de novo amino acid biosynthesis. Protective proteins (e.g. dehydrins, chaperones, antioxidant enzymes or the key enzyme for proline biosynthesis play an important role in leaves and may be present at higher levels under water deprivation or high temperatures. On the whole plant level, effects on long-distance translocation of solutes via xylem and phloem and on leaf senescence (e.g. anticipated, accelerated or delayed senescence are important. The factors mentioned above are relevant for the overall performance of crops under drought and heat and must be considered for genotype selection and breeding programs.

Throughout life, different types of stem cells participate in tissue generation, maintenance, plasticity, and repair. Their abilities to secrete growth factors, to proliferate and differentiate into several cell lineages, and to migrate and home into the damaged tissues have made them attractive candidates for cell therapy and tissue engineering applications. Normal stem cell function is tied to the cell-intrinsic mechanisms and extrinsic signals derived from the surrounding microenvironment or circulation. Understanding the regulatory signals that govern stem cell functions is essential in order to have full knowledge about organogenesis, tissue maintenance and tissue plasticity in the physiological condition. It is also important for optimizing tissue engineering and improving the therapeutic efficiency of stem cells in regenerative medicine. A growing body of evidence indicates that hormonal signals can critically influence stem cell functions in fetal, postnatal, and adult tissues. This review focuses on recent studies revealing how growth hormone, insulin, thyroid hormone, parathormone, adrenocorticotropin, glucocorticoids, erythropoietin, and gastrointestinal hormones control stem cell behavior through influencing survival, proliferation, migration, homing, and differentiation of these cells. Moreover, how environmental factors such as exercise, hypoxia, and nutrition might affect stem cell functions through influencing the endocrine system is discussed. Some of the current limitations of cell therapy and how hormones can help overcoming these limitations are briefly outlined.

Adrenergic receptors (AR) are G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that have a crucial role in cardiac physiology in health and disease. Alpha1-ARs signal through Gαq, and signaling through Gq, for example, by endothelin and angiotensin receptors, is thought to be detrimental to the heart. In contrast, cardiac alpha1-ARs mediate important protective and adaptive functions in the heart, although alpha1-ARs are only a minor fraction of total cardiac ARs. Cardiac alpha1-ARs activate pleiotropic downstream signaling to prevent pathologic remodeling in heart failure. Mechanisms defined in animal and cell models include activation of adaptive hypertrophy, prevention of cardiac myocyte death, augmentation of contractility, and induction of ischemic preconditioning. Surprisingly, at the molecular level, alpha1-ARs localize to and signal at the nucleus in cardiac myocytes, and, unlike most GPCRs, activate “inside-out” signaling to cause cardioprotection. Contrary to past opinion, human cardiac alpha1-AR expression is similar to that in the mouse, where alpha1-AR effects are seen most convincingly in knockout models. Human clinical studies show that alpha1-blockade worsens heart failure in hypertension and does not improve outcomes in heart failure, implying a cardioprotective role for human alpha1-ARs. In summary, these findings identify novel functional and mechanistic aspects of cardiac alpha1-AR function and suggest that activation of cardiac alpha1-AR might be a viable therapeutic strategy in heart failure. PMID:24368739

Neuropeptides and their receptors play vital roles in controlling the physiology and behavior of animals. Short neuropeptide F (sNPF) signaling regulates several physiological processes in insects such as feeding, locomotion, circadian rhythm and reproduction, among others. Previously, the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) sNPF receptor (S. invicta sNPFR), a G protein-coupled receptor, was immunolocalized in queen and worker brain and queen ovaries. Differential distribution patterns of S. invicta sNPFR protein in fire ant worker brain were associated both with worker subcastes and with presence or absence of brood in the colony. However, the cognate ligand for this sNPFR has not been characterized and attempts to deorphanize the receptor with sNPF peptides from other insect species which ended in the canonical sequence LRLRFamide, failed. Receptor deorphanization is an important step to understand the neuropeptide receptor downstream signaling cascade. We cloned the full length cDNA of the putative S. invicta sNPF prepropeptide and identified the putative "sNPF" ligand within its sequence. The peptide ends with an amidated Tyr residue whereas in other insect species sNPFs have an amidated Phe or Trp residue at the C-terminus. We stably expressed the HA-tagged S. invicta sNPFR in CHO-K1 cells. Two S. invicta sNPFs differing at their N-terminus were synthesized that equally activated the sNPFR, SLRSALAAGHLRYa (EC50 = 3.2 nM) and SALAAGHLRYa (EC50 = 8.6 nM). Both peptides decreased the intracellular cAMP concentration, indicating signaling through the Gαi-subunit. The receptor was not activated by sNPF peptides from other insect species, honey bee long NPF (NPY) or mammalian PYY. Further, a synthesized peptide otherwise identical to the fire ant sequence but in which the C-terminal amidated amino acid residue 'Y' was switched to 'F', failed to activate the sNPFR. This discovery will now allow us to investigate the function of sNPY and its cognate

Full Text Available Neuropeptides and their receptors play vital roles in controlling the physiology and behavior of animals. Short neuropeptide F (sNPF signaling regulates several physiological processes in insects such as feeding, locomotion, circadian rhythm and reproduction, among others. Previously, the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta sNPF receptor (S. invicta sNPFR, a G protein-coupled receptor, was immunolocalized in queen and worker brain and queen ovaries. Differential distribution patterns of S. invicta sNPFR protein in fire ant worker brain were associated both with worker subcastes and with presence or absence of brood in the colony. However, the cognate ligand for this sNPFR has not been characterized and attempts to deorphanize the receptor with sNPF peptides from other insect species which ended in the canonical sequence LRLRFamide, failed. Receptor deorphanization is an important step to understand the neuropeptide receptor downstream signaling cascade. We cloned the full length cDNA of the putative S. invicta sNPF prepropeptide and identified the putative "sNPF" ligand within its sequence. The peptide ends with an amidated Tyr residue whereas in other insect species sNPFs have an amidated Phe or Trp residue at the C-terminus. We stably expressed the HA-tagged S. invicta sNPFR in CHO-K1 cells. Two S. invicta sNPFs differing at their N-terminus were synthesized that equally activated the sNPFR, SLRSALAAGHLRYa (EC50 = 3.2 nM and SALAAGHLRYa (EC50 = 8.6 nM. Both peptides decreased the intracellular cAMP concentration, indicating signaling through the Gαi-subunit. The receptor was not activated by sNPF peptides from other insect species, honey bee long NPF (NPY or mammalian PYY. Further, a synthesized peptide otherwise identical to the fire ant sequence but in which the C-terminal amidated amino acid residue 'Y' was switched to 'F', failed to activate the sNPFR. This discovery will now allow us to investigate the function of sNPY and

Muscle physiological cross-sectional area predicts the maximum capability of a muscle to generate isometric force. Biomechanical models often use estimates of individual muscle physiological cross-sectional area to partition internal forces among different muscles and predict joint forces and stability. In the spine literature, these physiological cross-sectional area values are generally obtained from imaging or cadaveric studies that have not accounted for a potential lengthened or shortened (and thus thinned or thickened, respectively) state of the muscles in question. Sarcomere length measurements can be used to normalize muscle lengths and correct for these length discrepancies. This article was designed to demonstrate potential effects of not accounting for instantaneous sarcomere length when calculating the physiological cross-sectional area of muscles of the spine region. Because some muscles of the spine region appear to be shortened and others lengthened in the neutral spine posture, both over- and under-estimations of physiological cross-sectional area are possible. Specifically, it is shown that the muscle physiological cross-sectional area could be over-estimated or under-estimated by as much as + 36% (multifidus) and -21% (rectus abdominis), respectively. This differential error effect poses difficulties in accurately estimating individual muscle forces and subsequent spine forces and stability that result from biomechanical models incorporating physiological cross-sectional area data obtained in the absence of sarcomere length measurements. Future work is needed to measure the dynamic range of sarcomere lengths of all spinal muscles to ensure correct inputs to biomechanical models.

The specific targeting of protein to organelles is achieved by targeting signals being recognised by their cognate receptors. Cytosolic chaperones, bound to precursor proteins, are recognized by specific receptors of the import machinery enabling transport into the specific organelle. The aim of this study was to gain greater insight into the mode of recognition of the C-termini of Hsp70 and Hsp90 chaperones by the Tetratricopeptide Repeat (TPR) domain of the chloroplast import receptor Toc64 from Arabidopsis thaliana (At). The monomeric TPR domain binds with 1∶1 stoichiometry in similar micromolar affinity to both Hsp70 and Hsp90 as determined by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). Mutations of the terminal EEVD motif caused a profound decrease in affinity. Additionally, this study considered the contributions of residues upstream as alanine scanning experiments of these residues showed reduced binding affinity. Molecular dynamics simulations of the TPR domain helices upon peptide binding predicted that two helices within the TPR domain move backwards, exposing the cradle surface for interaction with the peptide. Our findings from ITC and molecular dynamics studies suggest that AtToc64_TPR does not discriminate between C-termini peptides of Hsp70 and Hsp90.

In depth Monte Carlo conformational scans in combination with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and electronic structure calculations were applied in order to study the molecular recognition process between tetrasubstituted naphthalene diimide (ND) guests and G-quadruplex (G4) DNA receptors. ND guests are a promising class of telomere stabilizers due to which they are used in novel anticancer therapeutics. Though several ND guests have been studied experimentally in the past, the protonation state under physiological conditions is still unclear. Based on chemical intuition, in the case of N-methyl-piperazine substitution, different protonation states are possible and might play a crucial role in the molecular recognition process by G4-DNA. Depending on the proton concentration, different nitrogen atoms of the N-methyl-piperazine might (or might not) be protonated. This fact was considered in our simulation in terms of a case by case analysis, since the process of molecular recognition is determined by possible donor or acceptor positions. The results of our simulations show that the electrostatic interactions between the ND ligands and the G4 receptor are maximized in the case of the protonation of the terminal nitrogen atoms, forming compact ND G4 complexes inside the grooves. The influence of different protonation states in terms of the ability to form hydrogen bonds with the sugar-phosphate backbone, as well as the importance of mediated vs. direct hydrogen bonding, was analyzed in detail by MD and relaxed force constant (compliance constant) simulations.

Social status has been associated with health consequences, although the mechanisms by which status affects health are relatively unknown. At the physiological level, many studies have investigated the potential relationship between social behaviour/rank and physiological stress, with a particular focus on glucocorticoid (GC) production. GCs are of interest because of their experimentally established influence on health-related processes such as metabolism and immune function. Studies in a variety of species, in both naturalistic and laboratory settings, have led to complex outcomes. This paper reviews findings from primates and rodents and proposes a psychologically and physiologically relevant framework in which to study the relationship between social status and GC function. We (i) compare status-specific GC production between male and female primates, (ii) review the functional significance of different temporal patterns of GC production, (iii) propose ways to assess these temporal dynamics, and (iv) present novel hypotheses about the relationship between social status and GC temporal dynamics, and potential fitness and health implications. To understand whether GC production mediates social status-related fitness disparities, we must consider social contest conditions and the temporal dynamics of GC production. This framework will provide greater insights into the relationship between social status, physiological stress and health.

The purpose of this report is to develop a database of physiological parameters needed for understanding and evaluating performance of the APEX and SHEDS exposure/intake dose rate model used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of its regulatory activities. The A...

Full Text Available Gas-exchange, plastid pigments and some other physiological parameters were determined in bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. local populations leaves naturally infected by Xanthomonas campestris pv.phaseoli (Smith Dye, and Pseudomonas syringae pv.phaseolicola (Bukholder Young, Dye et Wilkie, and in healthy leaves (control. It was established that infected leaves had lower both plastid pigments content and photosynthetic activity as well as lower yield and quality of produce.

Marked changes are occurring within both the medical and dental curricula and new ways of teaching the basic sciences have been devised and traditional methods (e.g., dissection for gross anatomy and of bench-based animal preparations for physiology) are increasingly no longer the norm. Although there is much anecdotal evidence that students are not in favor of such changes, there is little evidence for this based on quantitative analyses of students' attitudes. Using Thurstone and Chave attitude analyses, we assessed the attitudes of first year medical and dental students at Cardiff University toward gross anatomy and physiology in terms of their perceived clinical importance. In addition, we investigated the appropriateness ("fitness for purpose") of teaching methodologies used for anatomy and physiology. The hypotheses tested recognized the possibility that medical and dental students differed in their opinions, but that they had a preference to being taught gross anatomy through the use of dissection and had no preference for physiology teaching. It was found that both medical and dental students displayed positive attitudes toward the clinical relevance of gross anatomy and that they preferred to be taught by means of dissection. Although both medical and dental students displayed positives attitudes toward the clinical relevance of physiology, this was greater for the medical students. Both medical and dental students showed a preference for being taught physiology through didactic teaching in small groups but the medical students also appreciated being taught by means of practicals. Overall, this study highlights the expectations that students have for the basic science foundation teaching within their professional training and signals a preference for being taught experientially/practically. Differences were discerned between medical and dental students that might reflect the direct association between systems physiology and pathophysiology and the

Catch-and-release fishing regulations are widely used by fishery resource managers to maintain both the quantity and quality of sport fish populations. We evaluated blood chemistry disturbances in wild brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis, brown trout Salmo trutta, cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii, and Arctic grayling Thymallus arcticus that had been hooked and played for 1-5 min in waters of the intermountain western United States. A hatchery stock of brown trout was included for comparison. To assess time needed for recovery, additional test groups were played for 5 min and then released into net-pens, where they were held for up to 72 h. The osmoregulatory and metabolic disturbances associated with catch-and-release fishing under the conditions we tested were minimal and judged to be well within normal physiological tolerance limits. In fish that were held for recovery, the blood chemistry alterations that did occur appeared to be related to stress from confinement in the net-pens. Our results confirm the results of previous studies, showing that prerelease air exposure and handling cause more physiological stress than does either hooking per se or playing time. Fishery managers must be aware of the differences in the perceptions, attitudes, and values of different societal groups, some of which feel that catch-and-release fishing should be banned because it is cruel to the animals. On the basis of brain anatomy, it seems highly unlikely that fish experience pain in the same manner as humans experience it, because fish lack a neocortex, the brain structure that enables the sensation of pain in higher vertebrates. However, independent of the neurobiological argument, our results indicate that under conditions similar to those tested, fish subjected to catch and release are neither suffering nor particularly stressed. Improved education programs about the relatively benign physiological effects of catch-and-release fishing as a fishery management practice would

LncRNAs were previously considered to be the 'noise' of gene transcription having no biological functions, but now it has become evident that lncRNAs function as modulators of gene expression network. LncRNAs may regulate diverse gene expression levels which were roughly summarized to epigenetic, transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. It has been clarified that some lncRNAs were expressed differentially in cardiovascular diseases, and aberrant changes of those lncRNAs were involved in the development of heart disorders. The role of lncRNAs in this process transcended the tradition of protein regulatory platform to be the orchestrator of cardiac sophisticated governing system of heart development, adaptation and pathological reaction. This review summarizes recent advances in the study of functions and mechanisms of lncRNAs in cardiovascular physiology and pathology. The regulatory roles of lncRNAs in cardiovascular diseases provide new strategy for interventional therapy of heart diseases.

hepatocytes using the classical approaches (in “2D”) and using a system which leads to the generation of spheroids of cells held in suspension (“3D”). Both approaches gave rise to cultures where the large majority of cells were viable, produced similar amounts of ATP, incorporated similar amounts......It is widely expected that cells grown in 3D environments (in suspension, on scaffolds etc.) will be superior to growing cells in classical 2D culture flasks. These expectations include the belief that cells grown in 3D culture will possess physiological characteristics that resemble more closely...... to grow human liver cells in ‘3 dimensional’ cultures so that they behave very similar to the liver in our bodies. By growing the immortal hepatocytes in specially designed bioreactors they form small pieces of ‘pseudotissue’ which exhibit several of the functions seen in the adult liver. We have grown...

Recently, a number of publications have reported that many physiological properties of vascular epiphytes are a function of plant size. This short review will summarize what is known to date about this phenomenon, describe the possible mechanism and will discuss the consequences for the present understanding of epiphyte biology. Size-related changes are also known from other plant groups and it is argued that close attention should be paid to the size of the organisms under study in order to understand the performance and survival of a species in the field. In the light of these findings, the results of many earlier studies on epiphyte ecophysiology are now difficult to interpret because essential information on the size of the specimens used is missing.

Two prominent theories to explain the physiological effects of microgravity relate to the cascade of changes associated with the cephalic shifts of fluids and the absence of tissue deformation forces. One-g experiments for humans used bed rest and the head-down tilt (HDT) method, while animal experiments have been conducted using the tail-suspended, head-down, and hindlimbs non-weightbearing model. Because of the success of the HDT approach with rats to simulate the gravitational effects on the musculoskeletal system exhibited by humans, the same model has been used to study the effects of gravity on the cardiopulmonary systems of humans and other vertebrates. Results to date indicate the model is effective in producing comparable changes associated with blood volume, erythropoiesis, cardiac mass, baroreceptor responsiveness, carbohydrate metabolism, post-flight VO2max, and post-flight cardiac output during exercise. Inherent with these results is the potential of the model to be useful in investigating responsible mechanisms. The suspension model has promise in understanding the capillary blood PO2 changes in space as well as the arterial PO2 changes in subjects participating in a HDT experiment. However, whether the model can provide insights on the up-or-down regulation of adrenoreceptors remains to be determined, and many investigators believe the HDT approach should not be followed to study gravitational influences on pulmonary function in either humans or animals. It was concluded that the tail-suspended animal model had sufficient merit to study in-flight and post-flight human physiological responses and mechanisms.

Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDHK) regulates the activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex. PDHK inhibition provides a route for therapeutic intervention in diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. We report crystal structures of human PDHK isozyme 2 complexed with physiological and synthetic ligands. Several of the PDHK2 structures disclosed have C-terminal cross arms that span a large trough region between the N-terminal regulatory (R) domains of the PDHK2 dimers. The structures containing bound ATP and ADP demonstrate variation in the conformation of the active site lid, residues 316-321, which enclose the nucleotide beta and gamma phosphates at the active site in the C-terminal catalytic domain. We have identified three novel ligand binding sites located in the R domain of PDHK2. Dichloroacetate (DCA) binds at the pyruvate binding site in the center of the R domain, which together with ADP, induces significant changes at the active site. Nov3r and AZ12 inhibitors bind at the lipoamide binding site that is located at one end of the R domain. Pfz3 (an allosteric inhibitor) binds in an extended site at the other end of the R domain. We conclude that the N-terminal domain of PDHK has a key regulatory function and propose that the different inhibitor classes act by discrete mechanisms. The structures we describe provide insights that can be used for structure-based design of PDHK inhibitors.

This study contrasted the relative importance between the number of physiological diseases and activities of daily living (ADLs) to the mental health of elderly adults after controlling for mini-mental state exam (MMSE) scores and depression. Participants were 1342 elderly people with a mean age of 73.22 years and living in three communities in southern Taiwan. Age, gender, years of education duration, marital status, and MMSE and hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD) scores were control variables. The ability of the ADLs scale scores and number of physiological diseases to predict mental health, as measured by the 12-item Chinese health questionnaire, was compared using hierarchical regression analyses. The final hierarchical model indicated that only HAMD and the number of physiological diseases scores were significant and that the former was much more predictive than the latter. The results imply that the number of physiological diseases is more predictive of mental health than ADLs scores and that depression is a dangerous risk factor for elderly people.

In our research we brought out the age difference in the group of long-livers and the continuous character of the biochemical basal metabolism indexes changing. The results allowed us to carry out the polynominal high-powered approximation to study the dynamics of laboratory indexes. We revealed the progressive reduction of the cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose and creatinine levels starting from 90 years of age, and this reduction showed the non-linear character with interchange of local minimums and maximums. During the speed characteristics analysis we revealed the cooccurrence of the speed maximums of all the examined biochemical indexes, except the speed of changing the concentration of cholesterol, which maximum took the lead over the other indexes by four years. The phase-plane portrait analysis of the regulatory systems on the plane "time - speed" showed the unfulfilled attempt of system stabilization by all the searched parameters nearby the special spot - "stable focus". The standard deviation values analysis of the researched parameters showed their progressive reduction in the long-livers. That fact can be considered as the regulatory systems physiological "backlash" reduction among the centenarians.

The lutropin receptor (LHR), a member of the G protein-coupled receptor family, contains a relatively large N-terminal extracellular domain, accounting for about half of the receptor and responsible for high affinity ligand binding, and a standard heptahelical portion with connecting loops and a C-terminal tail. LHR and the other two glycoprotein hormone receptors, i.e. the follitropin and TSH receptors, contain an invariant 10-amino acid residue sequence, FNPCEDIMGY (residues 328-337 in rat LHR), in the extracellular domain separated by only a few amino acid residues from the beginning of transmembrane helix 1. In view of the invariant nature of this region in the three glycoprotein hormone receptors and preliminary data in the literature on the importance of Glu332 and Asp333 in signal transduction, we undertook a systematic investigation of all 10 amino acid residues because this region may function as a switch or trigger for communicating ligand binding to the extracellular domain with a conformational change of the membrane-embedded C-terminal half of the receptor to activate G proteins, particularly Gs. A total of 36 single, double, and multiple replacements, as well as two deletions, of LHR were prepared and characterized in transiently transfected COS-7 cells. Of these mutants LHRs, 26 expressed on the cell surface in sufficient numbers that quantitative assessments could be made of human choriogonadotropin binding and ligand-mediated cAMP production. Replacements of Cys331 abolished ligand binding to intact cells, although binding could be detected after solubilization of the cells. Replacements of the other nine amino acid residues that did not interfere with receptor folding or trafficking had no significant effect on ligand binding affinity; however, replacements of Pro330, Glu332, and Asp333 resulted in diminished signaling, especially for the two acidic residues. An interesting observation was made in which replacement of Tyr337 with Ala or Asp, while

Understanding the physiological role of CD30 would be an important step forward in transplants because CD30+ T cells can be induced by alloantigens even in the presence of immunosuppressives such as cyclosporine (Csa) and hence can act as regulatory cells in allograft. The results of functional studies on purified T CD30+ cell populations led us to hypothesize that the CD30 costimulator molecule is not a specific marker for TH2 cells in normal conditions, as has been suggested, but rather a marker for an important immunoregulatory subpopulation that regulates the balance between TH1 and TH2 (TH1/TH2) type response. To substantiate this hypothesis we studied the TH1/TH2 cytokine network in peripheral whole blood cultures stimulate with M44 CD30 ligand (CD30L), an agonistic monoclonal antibody (mAb). Four types of whole blood culture were used: the first had been stimulated with anti-CD3 mAb which generates a CD30 cytokine profile similar to alloreactive stimulation; the second with anti-CD3 mAb+M81 (an anti-CD30L mAb) to inhibit CD30/CD30L interaction; the third with anti-CD3+anti-interleukin (IL)4 mAbs to counteract IL4 activity and the fourth with anti-CD3+anti-interferon (IFN)gamma mAbs to counteract IFNgamma activity. Network interactions between soluble CD30 (sCD30, a maker of CD30 expression), sBcl2 (a marker of cell survival) and TH1/TH2 cytokines (IFNgamma, IL2, IL12p70, IL12p40, IL4, IL5 and IL10) were then studied in the supernatants obtained. Our results confirm the hypothesis above by showing that CD30 signals trigger functional mechanisms responsible for changes in levels of production of several important TH1 and TH2 cytokines involved in the regulation of the physiological balance between TH1/TH2 functions. The CD30-stimulated network, in fact, induces IFNgamma production linked to TH1 activity (-->TH1) which is subsequently integrated by IL4 production linked to TH2 activity (-->TH2). This production appears to be regulated, respectively, by IL12p40

Studies of tree seedling physiology and growth under field conditions provide information on the mechanisms underlying inter- and intraspecific differences in growth and survival at a critical period during forest regeneration. I compared photosynthetic physiology, growth and biomass allocation in seedlings of three shade-tolerant tree species, Virola koschynii Warb., Dipteryx panamensis (Pittier) Record & Mell and Brosimum alicastrum Swartz., growing across a light gradient created by a forest-pasture edge (0.5 to 67% diffuse transmittance (%T)). Most growth and physiological traits showed nonlinear responses to light availability, with the greatest changes occurring between 0.5 and 20 %T. Specific leaf area (SLA) and nitrogen per unit leaf mass (N mass) decreased, maximum assimilation per unit leaf area (A area) and area-based leaf N concentration (N area) increased, and maximum assimilation per unit leaf mass (A mass) did not change with increasing irradiance. Plastic responses in SLA were important determinants of leaf N and A area across the gradient. Species differed in magnitude and plasticity of growth; B. alicastrum had the lowest relative growth rates (RGR) and low plasticity. Its final biomass varied only 10-fold across the light gradient. In contrast, the final biomass of D. panamensis and V. koschynii varied by 100- and 50-fold, respectively, and both had higher RGR than B. alicastrum. As light availability increased, all species decreased biomass allocation to leaf tissue (mass and area) and showed a trade-off between allocation to leaf area at a given plant mass (LAR) and net gain in mass per unit leaf area (net assimilation rate, NAR). This trade-off largely reflected declines in SLA with increasing light. Finally, A area was correlated with NAR and both were major determinants of intraspecific variation in RGR. These data indicate the importance of plasticity in photosynthetic physiology and allocation for variation in tree seedling growth among

Increasing number of reports in the most recent literature convey the use of palladium and Brønsted acids as cooperative catalytic partners. However, the mechanistic understanding of several such cooperative catalytic reactions and the origin of cooperativity continue to remain limited. In transition metal catalysis, it is typically assumed that the native ligands, such as the acetates in palladium acetate, are retained throughout the catalytic cycle. Herein, we convey the significance of invoking ligand exchanges in transition metal catalysis by using the mechanism of a representative cooperative dual-catalytic reaction. Density functional theory (M06 and B3LYP) computations have been employed to decipher the mechanism of Pd(II)-Brønsted acid catalyzed migratory ring expansion reaction of an indenyl cyclobutanol to a spirocyclic indene bearing a quaternary carbon. The molecular role of water, benzoquinone and phosphoric acid has been probed by computing the energetics using several combinations of all these as ligands on palladium. Of the two key mechanistic possibilities examined, a Wacker-type pathway (involving a semipinacol ring expansion of cyclobutanol followed by a reductive elimination) is found to be energetically more preferred over an allylic pathway wherein the ring expansion in a Pd-π-allyl intermediate occurs subsequent to the initial allylic C-H activation. The Gibbs free energies of the transition states with the native palladium acetate are much higher than a Pd-bis-phosphate species generated through ligand exchanges.

Full Text Available Purinergic signaling within the kidney is becoming an important focus in the study of renal health and disease. The effectors of ATP signaling, the P2Y and P2X receptors, are expressed to varying extents in and along the nephron. There are many studies demonstrating the importance of the P2Y2 receptor on kidney function, and other P2 receptors are now emerging as participants in renal regulation. The P2X4 receptor has been linked to epithelial sodium transport in the nephron and expression levels of the P2X7 receptor are up-regulated in certain pathophysiological states. P2X7 antagonism has been shown to ameliorate rodent models of DOCA salt-induced hypertension and P2X4 null mice are hypertensive. Interestingly, polymorphisms in the genetic loci of P2X4 and P2X7 have been linked to blood pressure variation in human studies. In addition to the increasing evidence linking these two P2X receptors to renal function and health, a number of studies link the two receptors in terms of physical associations between their subunits, demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. This review will analyze the current literature regarding interactions between P2X4 and P2X7 and assess the potential impact of these with respect to renal function.

The importance of temperature control to HEFLEX, a Spacelab experiment designed to measure kinetic properties of Helianthis nutation in a low-g environment, is discussed. It is argued that the development of the HEFLEX experiment has been severely hampered by the inadequate control of ambient air temperature provided by the spacecraft module design. A worst case calculation shows that delivery of only 69% of the maximum yield of useful data from the HEFLEX system is guaranteed; significant data losses from inadequate temperature control are expected. The magnitude of the expected data losses indicates that the cost reductions associated with imprecise temperature controls may prove to be a false economy in the long term.

Chameleon proteins are proteins which include sequences that can adopt α-helix-β-strand (HE-chameleon) or α-helix-coil (HC-chameleon) or β-strand-coil (CE-chameleon) structures to operate their crucial biological functions. In this study, using a network-based approach, we examined the chameleon proteins to give a better knowledge on these proteins. We focused on proteins with identical chameleon sequences with more than or equal to seven residues long in different PDB entries, which adopt HE-chameleon, HC-chameleon, and CE-chameleon structures in the same protein. One hundred and ninety-one human chameleon proteins were identified via our in-house program. Then, protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, Gene ontology (GO) enrichment, disease network, and pathway enrichment analyses were performed for our derived data set. We discovered that there are chameleon sequences which reside in protein-protein interaction regions between two proteins critical for their dual function. Analysis of the PPI networks for chameleon proteins introduced five hub proteins, namely TP53, EGFR, HSP90AA1, PPARA, and HIF1A, which were presented in four PPI clusters. The outcomes demonstrate that the chameleon regions are in critical domains of these proteins and are important in the development and treatment of human cancers. The present report is the first network-based functional study of chameleon proteins using computational approaches and might provide a new perspective for understanding the mechanisms of diseases helping us in developing new medical therapies along with discovering new proteins with chameleon properties which are highly important in cancer.

Recent results indicate that prostaglandins play a major role in the mechanism of human labor. There are, however, no systematic studies on the role of prostaglandins in various forms of induction of labor. In the present study the concentration of 13,14-dihydro,15-ketoprostaglandin F2 (PGFM) in the maternal peripheral plasma was determined in labor of spontaneous onset, in labor after induction with oxytocin and in labor after induction by artificial rupture of membranes (ARM). In an additional group of women PGFM was determined before and immediately after delivery to get an insight into the mechanism of placental separation. In labor of spontaneous onset PGFM concentration increased significantly. In labour induced by oxytocin PGFM levels rose only in those women in whom induction of labor was successful. In induction of labor by ARM, PGFM level also increased in all women in whom induction was successful. At the time of placental separation PGFM concentration in the maternal blood increased dramatically. From the result of this study it is concluded that the increase of prostaglandin F synthesis is a necessary prerequisite for vaginal delivery and that prostaglandins are of major importance in the mechanism of placental separation and expulsion.

Colorectal cancer(CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer death in both men and women worldwide.Among the factors and mechanisms that are involved in the multifactorial etiology of CRC,autophagy is an important transformational switch that occurs when a cell shifts from normal to malignant.In recent years,multiple hypotheses have been considered regarding the autophagy mechanisms that are involved in cancer.The currently accepted hypothesis is that autophagy has dual and contradictory roles in carcinogenesis,but the precise mechanisms leading to autophagy in cancer are not yet fully defined and seem to be context dependent.Autophagy is a surveillance mechanism used by normal cells that protects them from the transformation to malignancy by removing damaged organelles and aggregated proteins and by reducing reactive oxygen species,mitochondrial abnormalities and DNA damage.However,autophagy also supports tumor formation by promoting access to nutrients that are critical to the metabolism and growth of tumor cells and by inhibiting cellular death and increasing drug resistance.Autophagy studies in CRC have focused on several molecules,mainly microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3,beclin 1,and autophagy related 5,with conflicting results.Beneficial effects were observed for some agents that modulate autophagy in CRC either alone or,more often,in combination with other agents.More extensive studies are needed in the future to clarify the roles of autophagy-related genes and modulators in colorectal carcinogenesis,and to develop potential beneficial agents for the prognosis and treatment of CRC.

Until recently, the process of denitrification (conversion of nitrate or nitrite to gaseous products) was thought to be performed exclusively by prokaryotes and fungi. The finding that foraminifera perform complete denitrification could impact our understanding of nitrate removal in sediments as well as our understanding of eukaryotic respiration, especially if it is widespread. However, details of this process and the subcellular location of these reactions in foraminifera remain uncertain. For example, prokaryotic endobionts, rather than the foraminifer proper, could perform denitrification, as has been shown recently in an allogromiid foraminifer. Here, intracellular nitrate concentrations and isotope ratios (δ15NNO3 and δ18ONO3) were measured to assess the nitrate dynamics in four benthic foraminiferal species (Bolivina argentea, Buliminella tenuata, Fursenkoina cornuta, Nonionella stella) with differing cellular architecture and associations with microbial endobionts, recovered from Santa Barbara Basin, California. Cellular nitrate concentrations were high (12-217 mM) in each species, and intracellular nitrate often had elevated δ15NNO3 and δ18ONO3 values. Experiments including suboxic and anoxic incubations of B. argentea revealed a decrease in intracellular nitrate concentration and an increase in δ15NNO3 and δ18ONO3over time, indicating nitrate respiration and/or denitrification within the foraminifera. Results illustrate that nitrate reduction occurs in a range of foraminiferal species, including some possessing endobionts (including a chloroplast-sequestering species) and others lacking endobionts, implying that microbial associates may not solely be responsible for this process in foraminifera. Furthermore, we show that benthic foraminifera may represent important reservoirs of nitrate storage in sediments, as well as mediators of its removal.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the major drug target of medicines on the market today. Therefore, much research is and has been devoted to the elucidation of the function and three-dimensional structure of this large family of membrane proteins, which includes multiple conserved transmembrane domains connected by intra- and extracellular loops. In the last few years, the less conserved extracellular loops have garnered increasing interest, particularly after the publication of several GPCR crystal structures that clearly show the extracellular loops to be involved in ligand binding. This review will summarize the recent progress made in the clarification of the ligand binding and activation mechanism of class-A GPCRs and the role of extracellular loops in this process.

The magnetic susceptibility of the dinuclear chromium(III) complex [(CH3CN)5CrOCr(NCCH3)5](BF4)4 · 2 CH3CN has been measured and analyzed. With a fitted value of the triplet energy J = 650 cm-1, the antiferromagnetic coupling is the strongest hitherto determined for an unsupported linear oxide-br...... relative errors typically of less than 10 % ranging from the strongest coupled systems to systems with moderately strong couplings. A significant influence (>20%) of the chemical nature of the peripheral, non-bridging ligands on the exchange coupling was found and rationalized.......The magnetic susceptibility of the dinuclear chromium(III) complex [(CH3CN)5CrOCr(NCCH3)5](BF4)4 · 2 CH3CN has been measured and analyzed. With a fitted value of the triplet energy J = 650 cm-1, the antiferromagnetic coupling is the strongest hitherto determined for an unsupported linear oxide...

Full Text Available The trajectory and deposition efficiency of micron-sized (1–5 µm particles, inhaled into the pulmonary system, are accurately determined with the aid of a newly developed model and modified simulation techniques. This alveolar model, which has a simple but physiologically appropriate geometry, and the utilized fluid structure interaction (FSI methods permit the precise simulation of tissue wall deformation and particle fluid interactions. The relation between tissue movement and airflow in the alveolated duct is solved by a two-way fluid structure interaction simulation technique, using ANSYS Workbench (Release 16.0, ANSYS INC., Pittsburgh, PA, USA, 2015. The dynamic transport of particles and their deposition are investigated as a function of aerodynamic particle size, tissue visco-elasticity, tidal breathing period, gravity orientation and particle–fluid interactions. It is found that the fluid flows and streamlines differ between the present flexible model and rigid models, and the two-way coupling particle trajectories vary relative to one-way particle coupling. In addition, the results indicate that modelling the two-way coupling particle system is important because the two-way discrete phase method (DPM approach despite its complexity provides more extensive particle interactions and is more reliable than transport results from the one-way DPM approach. The substantial difference between the results of the two approaches is likely due to particle–fluid interactions, which re-suspend the sediment particles in the airway stream and hence pass from the current generation.

The P-cluster is a unique iron-sulfur center that likely functions as a dynamic electron (e(-)) relay site between the Fe-protein and the catalytic FeMo-cofactor in nitrogenase. The P-cluster has been shown to undergo large conformational changes upon 2-e(-) oxidation which entail the coordination of two of the Fe centers to a Ser side chain and a backbone amide N, respectively. Yet, how and if this 2-e(-) oxidized state (P(OX)) is involved in catalysis by nitrogenase is not well established. Here, we present the crystal structures of reduced and oxidized MoFe-protein (MoFeP) from Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus (Gd), which natively possesses an Ala residue in the position of the Ser ligand to the P-cluster. While reduced Gd-MoFeP is structurally identical to previously characterized counterparts around the FeMo-cofactor, oxidized Gd-MoFeP features an unusual Tyr coordination to its P-cluster along with ligation by a backbone amide nitrogen. EPR analysis of the oxidized Gd-MoFeP P-cluster confirmed that it is a 2-e(-) oxidized, integer-spin species. Importantly, we have found that the sequence positions corresponding to the Ser and Tyr ligands are almost completely covariant among Group I nitrogenases. These findings strongly support the possibility that the P(OX) state is functionally relevant in nitrogenase catalysis and that a hard, O-based anionic ligand serves to stabilize this state in a switchable fashion.

drug targets for diseases (in the brain in particular), so understanding the molecular details of PDZ domain interactions is of fundamental importance. PDZ domains bind to a protein partner at either a C-terminal peptide or internal peptide motifs. Here, we examined the importance of a conserved Lys......PDZ domains are ubiquitous small protein domains that are mediators of numerous protein-protein interactions, and play a pivotal role in protein trafficking, synaptic transmission, and the assembly of signaling-transduction complexes. In recent years, PDZ domains have emerged as novel and exciting...

The ratio of copper to dissolved organic matter (DOM) is known to affect the strength of copper binding by DOM, but previous methods to determine the Cu(2+)-DOM binding strength have generally not measured binding constants over the same Cu:DOM ratios. In this study, we used a competitive ligand exchange-solid-phase extraction (CLE-SPE) method to determine conditional stability constants for Cu(2+)-DOM binding at pH 6.6 and 0.01 M ionic strength over a range of Cu:DOM ratios that bridge the detection windows of copper-ion-selective electrode and voltammetry measurements. As the Cu:DOM ratio increased from 0.0005 to 0.1 mg of Cu/mg of DOM, the measured conditional binding constant ((c)K(CuDOM)) decreased from 10(11.5) to 10(5.6) M(-1). A comparison of the binding constants measured by CLE-SPE with those measured by copper-ion-selective electrode and voltammetry demonstrates that the Cu:DOM ratio is an important factor controlling Cu(2+)-DOM binding strength even for DOM isolates of different types and different sources and for whole water samples. The results were modeled with Visual MINTEQ and compared to results from the biotic ligand model (BLM). The BLM was found to over-estimate Cu(2+) at low total copper concentrations and under-estimate Cu(2+) at high total copper concentrations.

The biochemical activity and morphology of control and streptozotocin-diabetic rat liver Golgi complexes were previously investigated by us under influence of some vanadium [V(IV)] compounds. The effectiveness of these derivatives depends on the kind of complexing ligands. This paper presents the investigation of the effect of bipyridyl, the ligand of a new vanadium compound, tested by us with maltol and kojic acid (two ligands studied by the present and other authors). The three ligands alone action was tested under the same experimental conditions as in the case of whole compounds with vanadium and applied to liver Golgi complexes of control rats. A preliminary study for maltol and kojic acid had been previously carried out by us parallel with tests of whole vanadium complexes, but valuable differences in biological action found in our condition of experiments suggested the extension of studies to include the two above-mentioned ligands and to compare the effects of the three investigated ligands. The supplementary part of the experiment focused mainly on the ultrastructure of Golgi complexes in hepatocytes. Four groups of animals were used: C - control rats, C + M (maltol), C + (ka)2 (kojic acid) and C + (bpy)2 (bipyridyl). The control rats received 0.09M NaCl as drinking liquid; all the other animals were given 3.6 mmol/L of appropriate ligand solution in 0.09M NaCl during 7 days. All the animals survived the experiments. Only in group C + (bpy)2 did the authors observe statistically significant differences as compared with the controls (group C). The differences were detected in physiological studies and manifested as body weight decreased by approximately 20% during the experiment, lower liquid (pfood (pvanadium compounds were employed in our earlier experiments. As it follows, the ligands alone were demonstrated to be much more toxic to morphology of control liver Golgi apparatus as compared to complex compounds, which showed the ability of the former to

The circadian clock and sleep are essential for human physiology and behavior; deregulation of circadian rhythms impairs health and performance. Circadian clocks and sleep evolved to adapt to Earth’s environment, which is characterized by a 24-hour light–dark cycle. Changes in gravity load, lighting and work schedules during spaceflight missions can impact circadian clocks and disrupt sleep, in turn jeopardizing the mood, cognition and performance of orbiting astronauts. In this review, we summarize our understanding of both the influence of the space environment on the circadian timing system and sleep and the impact of these changes on astronaut physiology and performance.

Global climate change is expected to shift regional rainfall patterns, influencing species distributions where they depend on water availability. Comparative studies have demonstrated that C4 grasses inhabit drier habitats than C3 relatives, but that both C3 and C4 photosynthesis are susceptible to drought. However, C4 plants may show advantages in hydraulic performance in dry environments. We investigated the effects of seasonal variation in water availability on leaf physiology, using a common garden experiment in the Eastern Cape of South Africa to compare 12 locally occurring grass species from C4 and C3 sister lineages. Photosynthesis was always higher in the C4 than C3 grasses across every month, but the difference was not statistically significant during the wettest months. Surprisingly, stomatal conductance was typically lower in the C3 than C4 grasses, with the peak monthly average for C3 species being similar to that of C4 leaves. In water-limited, rain-fed plots, the photosynthesis of C4 leaves was between 2.0 and 7.4 μmol m(-2) s(-1) higher, stomatal conductance almost double, and transpiration 60% higher than for C3 plants. Although C4 average instantaneous water-use efficiencies were higher (2.4-8.1 mmol mol(-1)) than C3 averages (0.7-6.8 mmol mol(-1)), differences were not as great as we expected and were statistically significant only as drought became established. Photosynthesis declined earlier during drought among C3 than C4 species, coincident with decreases in stomatal conductance and transpiration. Eventual decreases in photosynthesis among C4 plants were linked with declining midday leaf water potentials. However, during the same phase of drought, C3 species showed significant decreases in hydrodynamic gradients that suggested hydraulic failure. Thus, our results indicate that stomatal and hydraulic behaviour during drought enhances the differences in photosynthesis between C4 and C3 species. We suggest that these drought responses are

Global climate change is expected to shift regional rainfall patterns, influencing species distributions where they depend on water availability. Comparative studies have demonstrated that C4 grasses inhabit drier habitats than C3 relatives, but that both C3 and C4 photosynthesis are susceptible to drought. However, C4 plants may show advantages in hydraulic performance in dry environments. We investigated the effects of seasonal variation in water availability on leaf physiology, using a common garden experiment in the Eastern Cape of South Africa to compare 12 locally occurring grass species from C4 and C3 sister lineages. Photosynthesis was always higher in the C4 than C3 grasses across every month, but the difference was not statistically significant during the wettest months. Surprisingly, stomatal conductance was typically lower in the C3 than C4 grasses, with the peak monthly average for C3 species being similar to that of C4 leaves. In water-limited, rain-fed plots, the photosynthesis of C4 leaves was between 2.0 and 7.4 μmol m−2 s−1 higher, stomatal conductance almost double, and transpiration 60% higher than for C3 plants. Although C4 average instantaneous water-use efficiencies were higher (2.4–8.1 mmol mol−1) than C3 averages (0.7–6.8 mmol mol−1), differences were not as great as we expected and were statistically significant only as drought became established. Photosynthesis declined earlier during drought among C3 than C4 species, coincident with decreases in stomatal conductance and transpiration. Eventual decreases in photosynthesis among C4 plants were linked with declining midday leaf water potentials. However, during the same phase of drought, C3 species showed significant decreases in hydrodynamic gradients that suggested hydraulic failure. Thus, our results indicate that stomatal and hydraulic behaviour during drought enhances the differences in photosynthesis between C4 and C3 species. We suggest that these drought responses

Full Text Available Fatty acids (FA have crucial functions in animals, affecting e.g. inflammatory responses, thermoregulation, and cell membrane fluidity. Diet and ambient temperature affect animals’ FA composition, which, in turn, may influence these physiological processes. Great tits (Parus major −common in both urban and rural habitats− are mainly granivorous during winter and insectivorous during summer. These diets show pronounced differences in FA composition. Such variation has context-dependent effects on physiology, because the thermal environment, food availability, and levels of pro-inflammatory environmental stressors differ between urban and rural areas. Thus, we investigated how great tit plasma FA composition varied between urban and rural habitats and across seasons. Eight FAs differed between urban and rural birds. Among these, arachidonic acid (omega (ω-6 polyunsaturated FA with thermoregulatory and pro-inflammatory properties was more abundant in urban than rural birds in winter, whereas ω-3 FAs with anti-inflammatory properties were more abundant in rural birds. The difference in pro- and anti-inflammatory FAs suggest that the negative health effects that urban birds suffer from being exposed to higher levels of pollutants might be enhanced by an elevated inflammatory response. Eight FAs differed between winter and summer birds. This variation reflected the diet change: FAs common in seeds, e.g. oleic- and linoleic acid, were present in higher amounts in winter birds, whereas ω-3 polyunsaturated FAs that are common in caterpillars were more abundant in summer birds. Overall, a larger seasonal variation was seen among the urban birds. This study is the first to reveal a difference in FA composition between urban and rural populations for all animals studied to date. Future experiments should unravel the physiological implications of this variation, and ultimately, link its effects to fitness of animals with different physiological and

The use of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs), especially those with a core/shell structure, for photocatalytic hydrogen (H2) production from water is currently one of the hottest research fields. Although the ligand on the semiconductor NC surface is crucial to the optical and optoelectronic properties of the NC, the study of the ligand effect on the photocatalytic activity of H2 generation is rarely reported. Herein, we employ nearly monodispersed CdSe/CdS core/shell NCs as a model photocatalytic system, and three kinds of ligands with different numbers of functional thiol groups (i.e., poly(acrylic acid), 3-mercaptopropionic acid and 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid) are selected as the ligands to investigate the effect of ligand on the efficiency of H2 photogeneration. The results show that the H2 photogeneration efficiency is highly dependent on the surface ligand of the NCs, and it increases with the increase of the number of the functional thiol groups in the ligand, and correspondingly, the photoluminescence intensity and average fluorescence lifetime, which are measured by steady state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements, are decreased. The surface trap-related charge separation efficiency, which is mediated by surface coating with different ligands, is supposed to cause the distinct ligand-dependent performance in the H2 evolution.The use of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs), especially those with a core/shell structure, for photocatalytic hydrogen (H2) production from water is currently one of the hottest research fields. Although the ligand on the semiconductor NC surface is crucial to the optical and optoelectronic properties of the NC, the study of the ligand effect on the photocatalytic activity of H2 generation is rarely reported. Herein, we employ nearly monodispersed CdSe/CdS core/shell NCs as a model photocatalytic system, and three kinds of ligands with different numbers of functional thiol groups (i.e., poly(acrylic acid), 3

There is increasing use of non-traditional methods like problem-based learning, team-working and several other active-learning techniques in Physiology teaching. While several studies have investigated the impact of class attendance on the academic performance in traditional teaching, there is limited information regarding whether the new modalities are especially sensible to this factor. Here, we performed a comparative study between a control group receiving information through traditional methods and an experimental group submitted to new methodologies in Physiology teaching. We found that while mean examination scores were similar in the control and the experimental groups, a different picture emerge when data are organized according to four categorical attendance levels. In the experimental group, scores were not different between the 1st and the 2nd exams (P = 0.429) nor between the 2nd and the 3rd exams (P = 0.225) for students that never or poorly attend classes, in contrast to the control group (P learning using non-traditional methods.

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is increasing use of non-traditional methods like problem-based learning, team-working and several other active-learning techniques in Physiology teaching. While several studies have investigated the impact of class attendance on the academic performance in traditional teaching, there is limited information regarding whether the new modalities are especially sensible to this factor. Methods Here, we performed a comparative study between a control group receiving information through traditional methods and an experimental group submitted to new methodologies in Physiology teaching. Results We found that while mean examination scores were similar in the control and the experimental groups, a different picture emerge when data are organized according to four categorical attendance levels. In the experimental group, scores were not different between the 1st and the 2nd exams (P = 0.429 nor between the 2nd and the 3rd exams (P = 0.225 for students that never or poorly attend classes, in contrast to the control group (P Conclusion We suggest that class attendance is critical for learning using non-traditional methods.

Full Text Available The biochemical activity and morphology of control and streptozotocin-diabetic rat liver Golgi complexes were previously investigated by us under influence of some vanadium [V(IV] compounds. The effectiveness of these derivatives depends on the kind of complexing ligands. This paper presents the investigation of the effect of bipyridyl, the ligand of a new vanadium compound, tested by us with maltol and kojic acid (two ligands studied by the present and other authors. The three ligands alone action was tested under the same experimental conditions as in the case of whole compounds with vanadium and applied to liver Golgi complexes of control rats. A preliminary study for maltol and kojic acid had been previously carried out by us parallel with tests of whole vanadium complexes, but valuable differences in biological action found in our condition of experiments suggested the extension of studies to include the two above-mentioned ligands and to compare the effects of the three investigated ligands. The supplementary part of the experiment focused mainly on the ultrastructure of Golgi complexes in hepatocytes. Four groups of animals were used: C - control rats, C + M (maltol, C + (ka2 (kojic acid and C + (bpy2 (bipyridyl. The control rats received 0.09M NaCl as drinking liquid; all the other animals were given 3.6 mmol/L of appropriate ligand solution in 0.09M NaCl during 7 days. All the animals survived the experiments. Only in group C + (bpy2 did the authors observe statistically significant differences as compared with the controls (group C. The differences were detected in physiological studies and manifested as body weight decreased by approximately 20% during the experiment, lower liquid (p<0.001 and food (p<0.01 intake and increase of free blood sugar level (p<0.01. The yield of Golgi membrane isolation decreased in this group (p<0.01. The main investigated biochemical parameter, i.e. the activity of liver Golgi marker enzyme

Full Text Available Prediction is an attempt to accurately forecast the outcome of a specific situation while using input information obtained from a set of variables that potentially describe the situation. They can be used to project physiological and agronomic processes; regarding this fact, agronomic traits such as yield can be affected by a large number of variables. In this study, we analyzed a large number of physiological and agronomic traits by screening, clustering, and decision tree models to select the most relevant factors for the prospect of accurately increasing maize grain yield. Decision tree models (with nearly the same performance evaluation were the most useful tools in understanding the underlying relationships in physiological and agronomic features for selecting the most important and relevant traits (sowing date-location, kernel number per ear, maximum water content, kernel weight, and season duration corresponding to the maize grain yield. In particular, decision tree generated by C&RT algorithm was the best model for yield prediction based on physiological and agronomical traits which can be extensively employed in future breeding programs. No significant differences in the decision tree models were found when feature selection filtering on data were used, but positive feature selection effect observed in clustering models. Finally, the results showed that the proposed model techniques are useful tools for crop physiologists to search through large datasets seeking patterns for the physiological and agronomic factors, and may assist the selection of the most important traits for the individual site and field. In particular, decision tree models are method of choice with the capability of illustrating different pathways of yield increase in breeding programs, governed by their hierarchy structure of feature ranking as well as pattern discovery via various combinations of features.

Full Text Available Abstract Background 7D-cadherins like LI-cadherin are cell adhesion molecules and represent exceptional members of the cadherin superfamily. Although LI-cadherin was shown to act as a functional Ca2+-dependent adhesion molecule, linking neighboring cells together, and to be dysregulated in a variety of diseases, the physiological role is still enigmatic. Interestingly 7D-cadherins occur only in the lateral plasma membranes of cells from epithelia of water transporting tissues like the gut, the liver or the kidney. Furthermore LI-cadherin was shown to exhibit a highly cooperative Ca2+-dependency of the binding activity. Thus it is tempting to assume that LI-cadherin regulates the water transport through the epithelium in a passive fashion by changing its binding activity in dependence on the extracellular Ca2+. Results We developed a simple mathematical model describing the epithelial lining of a lumen with a content of variable osmolarity covering an interstitium of constant osmolarity. The width of the lateral intercellular cleft was found to influence the water transport significantly. In the case of hypertonic luminal content a narrow cleft is necessary to further increase concentration of the luminal content. If the cleft is too wide, the water flux will change direction and water is transported into the lumen. Electron microscopic images show that in fact areas of the gut can be found where the lateral intercellular cleft is narrow throughout the lateral cell border whereas in other areas the lateral intercellular cleft is widened. Conclusions Our simple model clearly predicts that changes of the width of the lateral intercellular cleft can regulate the direction and efficiency of water transport through a simple epithelium. In a narrow cleft the cells can increase the concentration of osmotic active substances easily by active transport whereas if the cleft is wide, friction is reduced but the cells can hardly build up high osmotic

Efflux transporters belonging to the family of ABC transporters have an important functional role in the maintenance of the intestinal barrier. As efflux transporters they prevent the absorption of toxic substances from feed, while at the same time facilitating the excretion of metabolic waste products as well as drugs from the circulation into the intestinal lumen. As Eimeria tenella infection significantly affects the integrity of caecum, the effects of experimental E. tenella infection on the levels of expression of ABCB1 mRNAs in the intestines and livers of broilers were evaluated. ABCB1 mRNA expression was quantified by qRT-PCR. Its expression levels were significantly down-regulated in the caecum of infected animals. The levels of ABCB1 mRNA were not changed in the duodenum and the liver. After treatment of the animals with sulfapyrazine for three days, not only a significant improvement of the clinical appearance but also a normalization of the P-gp expression was noticed. Although the current study cannot distinguish between the direct effect of the drug on the host and the drug action on the parasite, these results suggest that the treatment of coccidiosis with sulfachlorpyrazine also restored the expression of the investigated efflux transporter in the caecum. This is of clinical significance as P-glycoproteins contribute to the integrity of intestines and their function as important biological barriers, protecting poultry from pathogens and toxic compounds in animal feeds.

Full Text Available In changing climate, heat stress caused by high temperature poses a serious threat to rice cultivation. A multiple organizational analysis at physiological, biochemical and molecular level is required to fully understand the impact of elevated temperature in rice. This study was aimed at deciphering the elevated temperature response in eleven popular and mega rice cultivars widely grown in India. Physiological and biochemical traits specifically membrane thermostability (MTS, antioxidants, and photosynthesis were studied at vegetative and reproductive phases which were used to establish a correlation with grain yield under stress. Several useful traits in different genotypes were identified which will be important resource to develop high temperature tolerant rice cultivars. Interestingly, Nagina22 emerged as best performer in terms of yield as well as expression of physiological and biochemical traits at elevated temperature. It showed lesser relative injury, lesser reduction in chlorophyll content, increased super oxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase activity, lesser reduction in net photosynthetic rate (PN, high transpiration rate (E and other photosynthetic/ fluorescence parameters contributing to least reduction in spikelet fertility and grain yield at elevated temperature. Further, expression of 14 genes including heat shock transcription factors and heat shock proteins was analyzed in Nagina22 (tolerant and Vandana (susceptible at flowering phase, strengthening the fact that N22 performs better at molecular level also during elevated temperature. This study shows that elevated temperature response is complex and involves multiple biological processes which are needed to be characterized to address the challenges of future climate extreme conditions.

The thermodynamics and kinetics of light-induced electron transfer in bacterial photosynthetic RCs are sensitive to physiologicallyimportant lipids (phosphatidylcholine, cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol) in the environment. The analysis of the temperature-dependence of the rate of the P(+)Q(A)(-)Q(B)-->P(+)Q(A)Q(B)(-) interquinone electron transfer revealed high enthalpy change of activation in zwitterionic or neutral micelles and vesicles and low enthalpy change of activation in vesicles constituted of negatively charged phospholipids. The entropy change of activation was compensated by the changes of enthalpy, thus the free energy change of activation ( approximately 500 meV) did not show large variation in vesicles of different lipids.

Full Text Available Human plasma is an aqueous solution that has to abide by chemical rules such as the principle of electrical neutrality and the constancy of the ionic product for water. These rules define the acid-base balance in the human body. According to the electroneutrality principle, plasma has to be electrically neutral and the sum of its cations equals the sum of its anions. In addition, the ionic product for water has to be constant. Therefore, the plasma concentration of hydrogen ions depends on the plasma ionic composition. Variations in the concentration of plasma ions that alter the relative proportion of anions and cations predictably lead to a change in the plasma concentration of hydrogen ions by driving adaptive adjustments in water ionization that allow plasma electroneutrality while maintaining constant the ionic product for water. The accumulation of plasma anions out of proportion of cations induces an electrical imbalance compensated by a fall of hydroxide ions that brings about a rise in hydrogen ions (acidosis. By contrast, the deficiency of chloride relative to sodium generates plasma alkalosis by increasing hydroxide ions. The adjustment of plasma bicarbonate concentration to these changes is an important compensatory mechanism that protects plasma pH from severe deviations.

Human plasma is an aqueous solution that has to abide by chemical rules such as the principle of electrical neutrality and the constancy of the ionic product for water. These rules define the acid-base balance in the human body. According to the electroneutrality principle, plasma has to be electrically neutral and the sum of its cations equals the sum of its anions. In addition, the ionic product for water has to be constant. Therefore, the plasma concentration of hydrogen ions depends on the plasma ionic composition. Variations in the concentration of plasma ions that alter the relative proportion of anions and cations predictably lead to a change in the plasma concentration of hydrogen ions by driving adaptive adjustments in water ionization that allow plasma electroneutrality while maintaining constant the ionic product for water. The accumulation of plasma anions out of proportion of cations induces an electrical imbalance compensated by a fall of hydroxide ions that brings about a rise in hydrogen ions (acidosis). By contrast, the deficiency of chloride relative to sodium generates plasma alkalosis by increasing hydroxide ions. The adjustment of plasma bicarbonate concentration to these changes is an important compensatory mechanism that protects plasma pH from severe deviations.

Phytoremediation is considered to be a promising approach to restore or stabilize soil contaminated by lead (Pb). Turfgrasses, due to their high biomass yields, are considered to be suitable for use in phytoextraction of soil contaminated with heavy metal. It has been demonstrated that centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack., Poaceae) is a good turfgrass for restore of soil contaminated by Pb. However, the enhanced tolerant mechanisms in metallicolous (M) centipedegrass accessions remain unknown. In this study, we made a comparative study of growth performance, Pb accumulation, antioxidant levels, and phytochelatin concentrations in roots and shoots from M and nonmetallicolous (NM) centipedegrass accessions. Results showed that turf quality and growth rate were less repressed in M accessions than in NM accession. Pb stress caused generation of reactive oxygen species in centipedegrass with relatively lower levels in M accessions. Antioxidant activity analysis indicated that superoxide dismutase and catalase played important roles in Pb tolerance in M accessions. M accessions accumulated more Pb in roots and shoots. Greatly increased phytochelatins and less repressed sulfur contents in roots and shoots of M accessions indicated that they correlated with Pb accumulation and tolerance in centipedegrass.

Investigations detailed herein provide insight regarding the mechanism of stereochemical inversion of stereogenic-at-Ru carbene complexes through a nonolefin metathesis-based polytopal rearrangement pathway. Computational analyses (DFT) reveal that there are two key factors that generate sufficient energy barriers that are responsible for the possibility of isolation and characterization of high-energy, but kinetically stable, intermediates: (1) donor-donor interactions that involve the anionic ligands and the strongly electron donating carbene groups and (2) dipolar effects arising from the syn relationship between the anionic groups (iodide and phenoxide). We demonstrate that a Brønsted acid lowers barriers to facilitate isomerization, and that the positive influence of a proton source is the result of its ability to diminish the repulsive electronic interactions originating from the anionic ligands. The implications of the present studies regarding a more sophisticated knowledge of the role of anionic units on the efficiency of Ru-catalyzed olefin metathesis reactions are discussed. The electronic basis for the increased facility with which allylic alcohols participate in olefin metathesis processes will be presented as well. Finally, we illustrate how a better understanding of the role of anionic ligands has served as the basis for successful design of Ru-based Z-selective catalysts for alkene metathesis.

The majority of E- and P-selectin ligands in leukocytes and myelocytic or monocytic leukemia cells are carried by transmembrane glycoproteins having a tandem repeat mucin-like domain through which O-linked carbohydrate ligands are carried. However, determination of structure and adhesive function of carbohydrates in glycoproteins is extremely difficult because of the extensive structural heterogeneity and the scarcity of material for functional analysis. We have overcome this difficulty through use of poly-LacNAc gangliosides isolated from a large quantity of ( approximately 1.2 L packed) HL60 cells [Stroud, M. R., Handa, K., Salyan, M. E. K., Ito, K., Levery, S. B., Hakomori, S., Reinhold, B. B., & Reinhold, V. N. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 758-769, 770-778]. We identified two major types of poly-LacNAc gangliosides without the sialosyl-Lex epitope as being capable of binding to E-selectin: (i) those having a single alpha1-->3 fucosylation at internal GlcNAcs but not at the penultimate GlcNAc and (ii) those having double alpha1-->3 fucosylation at internal GlcNAcs, excluding the penultimate GlcNAc. Gangliosides from group i above did not show any adhesion under static conditions, but showed strong adhesion under dynamic flow conditions. Gangliosides from group ii above showed adhesion under both static and dynamic conditions, as did sialosyl-Lex (SLex)-containing structures in previous studies. However, SLex-containing poly-LacNAc gangliosides are virtually absent or present in only trace quantities in leukocytes and HL60 cells. Poly-LacNAc gangliosides from groups i and ii above, lacking SLex structure, are the major membrane components of leukocytes and HL60 cells. These carbohydrates, bound to lipid or to protein, may therefore be the physiological epitope for E-selectin-dependent binding of these cells, particularly under dynamic flow conditions.

Crystal structures of protein–ligand complexes are often used to infer biology and inform structure-based drug discovery. Hence, it is important to build accurate, reliable models of ligands that give confidence in the interpretation of the respective protein–ligand complex. This paper discusses key stages in the ligand-fitting process, including ligand binding-site identification, ligand description and conformer generation, ligand fitting, refinement and subsequent validation. The CCP4 suite contains a number of software tools that facilitate this task: AceDRG for the creation of ligand descriptions and conformers, Lidia and JLigand for two-dimensional and three-dimensional ligand editing and visual analysis, Coot for density interpretation, ligand fitting, analysis and validation, and REFMAC5 for macromolecular refinement. In addition to recent advancements in automatic carbohydrate building in Coot (LO/Carb) and ligand-validation tools (FLEV), the release of the CCP4i2 GUI provides an integrated solution that streamlines the ligand-fitting workflow, seamlessly passing results from one program to the next. The ligand-fitting process is illustrated using instructive practical examples, including problematic cases such as post-translational modifications, highlighting the need for careful analysis and rigorous validation. PMID:28177312

The reactions of [Co2 (CO)8 ] with one equiv of the benzamidinate (R2 bzam) group-14 tetrylenes [M(R2 bzam)(HMDS)] (HMDS=N(SiMe3 )2 ; 1: M=Ge, R=iPr; 2: M=Si, R=tBu; 3: M=Ge, R=tBu) at 20 °C led to the monosubstituted complexes [Co2 {κ(1) MM(R2 bzam)(HMDS)}(CO)7 ] (4: M=Ge, R=iPr; 5: M=Si, R=tBu; 6: M=Ge, R=tBu), which contain a terminal κ(1) M-tetrylene ligand. Whereas the Co2 Si and Co2 Ge tert-butyl derivatives 5 and 6 are stable at 20 °C, the Co2 Ge isopropyl derivative 4 evolved to the ligand-bridged derivative [Co2 {μ-κ(2) Ge,N-Ge(iPr2 bzam)(HMDS)}(μ-CO)(CO)5 ] (7), in which the Ge atom spans the CoCo bond and one arm of the amidinate fragment is attached to a Co atom. The mechanism of this reaction has been modeled with the help of DFT calculations, which have also demonstrated that the transformation of amidinate-tetrylene ligands on the dicobalt framework is negligibly influenced by the nature of the group-14 metal atom (Si or Ge) but is strongly dependent upon the volume of the amidinate NR groups. The disubstituted derivatives [Co2 {κ(1) MM(R2 bzam)(HMDS)}2 (CO)6 ] (8: M=Ge, R=iPr; 9: M=Si, R=tBu; 10: M=Ge, R=tBu), which contain two terminal κ(1) M-tetrylene ligands, have been prepared by treating [Co2 (CO)8 ] with two equiv of 1-3 at 20 °C. The IR spectra of 8-10 have shown that the basicity of germylenes 1 and 3 is very high (comparable to that of trialkylphosphanes and 1,3-diarylimidazol-2-ylidenes), whereas that of silylene 2 is even higher.

...)-1,8-naphthyridine were prepared. The complexes undergo irreversible ligand-localized one-electron reduction to form redox-induced metallacyclization between the bidentate naphthyridyl ligand and the terminal CO ligand located nearby...

RNA molecules have recently become attractive as potential drug targets due to the increased awareness of their importance in key biological processes. The increase of the number of experimentally determined RNA 3D structures enabled structure-based searches for small molecules that can specifically bind to defined sites in RNA molecules, thereby blocking or otherwise modulating their function. However, as of yet, computational methods for structure-based docking of small molecule ligands to RNA molecules are not as well established as analogous methods for protein-ligand docking. This motivated us to create LigandRNA, a scoring function for the prediction of RNA-small molecule interactions. Our method employs a grid-based algorithm and a knowledge-based potential derived from ligand-binding sites in the experimentally solved RNA-ligand complexes. As an input, LigandRNA takes an RNA receptor file and a file with ligand poses. As an output, it returns a ranking of the poses according to their score. The predictive power of LigandRNA favorably compares to five other publicly available methods. We found that the combination of LigandRNA and Dock6 into a "meta-predictor" leads to further improvement in the identification of near-native ligand poses. The LigandRNA program is available free of charge as a web server at http://ligandrna.genesilico.pl.

The folate binding protein (FBP) regulates homeostasis and intracellular trafficking of folic acid, a vitamin of decisive importance in cell division and growth. We analyzed whether interrelationship between ligand binding and self-association of FBP plays a significant role in the physiology...

Full Text Available Diabetes affects over 100 million people worldwide. Better methods for monitoring blood glucose levels are needed for improving disease management. Several labs have previously made glucose nanosensors by modifying members of the periplasmic ligand binding protein superfamily. This minireview summarizes recent developments in constructing new versions of these proteins that are responsive within the physiological range of blood glucose levels, employ new reporter groups, and/or are more robust. These experiments are important steps in the development of novel proteins that have the characteristics needed for an implantable glucose nanosensor for diabetes management: specificity for glucose, rapid response, sensitivity within the physiological range of glucose concentrations, reproducibility, and robustness.

Sarcocephalus latifolius (Synonym, Nauclea latifolia) is a shrub commonly seen in the South East of Nigeria. It is widely applied as herbal remedy in the treatment of various illnesses. The effect of ethanol extract of the root of the plant on some serum electrolytes was studied. A total of thirty Wistar albino rats were used to determine serum concentrations of K+, Ca2+, Cl- and HCO3-. The animals were divided into six groups of five rats each. Five groups labeled A, B, C, D and E, were administered orally with graded doses of root extract of Sarcocephalus latifolius at concentration of 300, 350, 400, 450 and 500 mg kg(-1) body weight, respectively. The sixth group (Group F) was used as the control and its animals were simply sustained on normal diet and water. Administration of the extract lasted for twenty-one days after which the animals were sacrificed by cardiac puncture. K+, Ca2+, Cl- and HCO3- were determined from each sample and the mean concentration was calculated for each dose and the control. Potassium, calcium and chloride determination were done by colorimetric methods while determination of bicarbonate concentration was done by simple titration. Na+ was separately assayed, by flame photometer, from a set of 18 rats of six animals in each of three groups. For K+, non dose dependent increases were observed which was non-significant (p > 0.05), for A, D and E but significant (p 0.05). Decreases (p 0.05) for A and B were observed for Cl-. Serum bicarbonate appeared almost completely unaffected by the extract, showing no significant changes. Na+ levels were depressed for the two test groups, A and B compared with the control (group C), with test group B showing a significant decrease (p Sarcocephalus latifolius has the capacity to influence various electrolytes to physiologicallyimportant degrees. Significant reductions in sodium and calcium levels indicate the usefulness of the plant in treatment of hypertension and pain/fever, respectively. However

An important challenge for both students and teachers of physiology is to integrate the differentareas in which physiological knowledge is didactically divided. In developing countries, such an issue is even more demanding, because budget restrictions often affect the physiology program with laboratory classes being the first on the list when it…

An important challenge for both students and teachers of physiology is to integrate the differentareas in which physiological knowledge is didactically divided. In developing countries, such an issue is even more demanding, because budget restrictions often affect the physiology program with laboratory classes being the first on the list when it…

Full Text Available Adenylate kinase (AdK is a phosphoryl-transfer enzyme with importantphysiological functions. Based on a ligand-free open structure and a ligand-bound closed structure solved by crystallography, here we use molecular dynamics simulations to examine the stability and dynamics of AdK conformations in the absence of ligands. We first perform multiple simulations starting from the open or the closed structure, and observe their free evolutions during a simulation time of 100 or 200 nanoseconds. In all seven simulations starting from the open structure, AdK remained stable near the initial conformation. The eight simulations initiated from the closed structure, in contrast, exhibited large variation in the subsequent evolutions, with most (seven undergoing large-scale spontaneous conformational changes and approaching or reaching the open state. To characterize the thermodynamics of the transition, we propose and apply a new sampling method that employs a series of restrained simulations to calculate a one-dimensional free energy along a curved pathway in the high-dimensional conformational space. Our calculated free energy profile features a single minimum at the open conformation, and indicates that the closed state, with a high (∼13 kcal/mol free energy, is not metastable, consistent with the observed behaviors of the unrestrained simulations. Collectively, our simulations suggest that it is energetically unfavorable for the ligand-free AdK to access the closed conformation, and imply that ligand binding may precede the closure of the enzyme.

G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the most historically successful therapeutic targets. Despite this success there are many important aspects of GPCR pharmacology and function that have yet to be exploited to their full therapeutic potential. One in particular that has been gaining attention...... in recent times is that of GPCR ligands that bind to allosteric sites on the receptor distinct from the orthosteric site of the endogenous ligand. As therapeutics, allosteric ligands possess many theoretical advantages over their orthosteric counterparts, including more complex modes of action, improved...... safety, more physiologically appropriate responses, better target selectivity, and reduced likelihood of desensitisation and tachyphylaxis. Despite these advantages, the development of allosteric ligands is often difficult from a medicinal chemistry standpoint due to the more complex challenge...

The SDF-1/CXCR4 axis is associated with tumor progression and has been reported as a prognostic parameter, although with conflicting data for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study examines a large cohort of clinically and pathologically well-characterized NSCLC patients and includes the activated form of CXCR4 (pCXCR4), which has not been studied in this context so far. SDF-1, CXCR4, and pCXCR4 were assessed immunohistochemically in 371 surgically resected NSCLC using a standardized tissue microarray platform. Extensive clinical and pathological data and a postoperative follow-up period of 17 years enabled detailed correlations. CXCR4 and pCXCR4 were frequently expressed on squamous cell carcinoma. Membranous expression of SDF-1 was a marker of poor prognosis and proved to be an independent prognostic parameter for the entire cohort and for patients with adenocarcinoma (ACA) and large cell carcinoma (LCC). Targeted cancer therapies blocking SDF-1/CXCR4 interaction already exist, and our data suggest that expression of SDF-1, especially on poorer prognosis subgroups of LCC and ACA, indicates patients that might benefit more than others. This should be taken into account when assessing the effectiveness of such targeted approaches for NSCLC patients and could lead to important implications.

In a clear and accessible presentation, Occupational Physiology focuses on important issues in the modern working world. Exploring major public health problems-such as musculoskeletal disorders and stress-this book explains connections between work, well-being, and health based on up-to-date research in the field. It provides useful methods for risk assessment and guidelines on arranging a good working life from the perspective of the working individual, the company, and society as a whole.The book focuses on common, stressful situations in different professions. Reviewing bodily demands and r

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Raf kinase inhibitory protein (RKIP, also known as phoshaptidylethanolamine binding protein (PEBP, has been shown to inhibit Raf and thereby negatively regulate growth factor signaling by the Raf/MAP kinase pathway. RKIP has also been shown to suppress metastasis. We have previously demonstrated that RKIP/Raf interaction is regulated by two mechanisms: phosphorylation of RKIP at Ser-153, and occupation of RKIP's conserved ligand binding domain with a phospholipid (2-dihexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine; DHPE. In addition to phospholipids, other ligands have been reported to bind this domain; however their binding properties remain uncharacterized. METHODS/FINDINGS: In this study, we used high-resolution heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy to screen a chemical library and assay a number of potential RKIP ligands for binding to the protein. Surprisingly, many compounds previously postulated as RKIP ligands showed no detectable binding in near-physiological solution conditions even at millimolar concentrations. In contrast, we found three novel ligands for RKIP that specifically bind to the RKIP pocket. Interestingly, unlike the phospholipid, DHPE, these newly identified ligands did not affect RKIP binding to Raf-1 or RKIP phosphorylation. One out of the three ligands displayed off target biological effects, impairing EGF-induced MAPK and metabolic activity. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This work defines the binding properties of RKIP ligands under near physiological conditions, establishing RKIP's affinity for hydrophobic ligands and the importance of bulky aliphatic chains for inhibiting its function. The common structural elements of these compounds defines a minimal requirement for RKIP binding and thus they can be used as lead compounds for future design of RKIP ligands with therapeutic potential.

Abstract Physiological changes occur in pregnancy to nurture the developing foetus and prepare the mother for labour and delivery. Some of these changes influence normal biochemical values while others may mimic symptoms of medical disease. It is important to differentiate between normal physiological changes and disease pathology. This review highlights the important changes that take place during normal pregnancy.

The formation and dissociation of specific noncovalent interactions between a variety of macromolecules play a crucial role in the function of biological systems. During the last few years, three main lines of research led to a dramatic improvement of our understanding of these important phenomena. First, combination of genetic engineering and X ray cristallography made available a simultaneous knowledg of the precise structure and affinity of series or related ligand-receptor systems differing by a few well-defined atoms. Second, improvement of computer power and simulation techniques allowed extended exploration of the interaction of realistic macromolecules. Third, simultaneous development of a variety of techniques based on atomic force microscopy, hydrodynamic flow, biomembrane probes, optical tweezers, magnetic fields or flexible transducers yielded direct experimental information of the behavior of single ligand receptor bonds. At the same time, investigation of well defined cellular models raised the ...

The growing interest in nicotinic receptors, because of their wide expression in neuronal and non-neuronal tissues and their involvement in several important CNS pathologies, has stimulated the synthesis of a high number of ligands able to modulate their function. These membrane proteins appear to be highly heterogeneous, and still only incomplete information is available on their structure, subunit composition, and stoichiometry. This is due to the lack of selective ligands to study the role of nAChR under physiological or pathological conditions; so far, only compounds showing selectivity between alpha4beta2 and alpha7 receptors have been obtained. The nicotinic receptor ligands have been designed starting from lead compounds from natural sources such as nicotine, cytisine, or epibatidine, and, more recently, through the high-throughput screening of chemical libraries. This review focuses on the structure of the new agonists, antagonists, and allosteric ligands of nicotinic receptors, it highlights the current knowledge on the binding site models as a molecular modeling approach to design new compounds, and it discusses the nAChR modulators which have entered clinical trials.

The analysis of physiological sound in the peripheral auditory system solves three important problems. First, sound energy impinging on the head must be captured and presented to the transduction apparatus in the ear as a suitable mechanical signal; second, this mechanical signal needs to be transduced into a neural representation that can be used by the brain; third, the resulting neural representation needs to be analyzed by central neurons to extract information useful to the animal. This chapter provides an overview of some aspects of the first two of these processes. The description is entirely focused on the mammalian auditory system, primarily on human hearing and on the hearing of a few commonly used laboratory animals (mainly rodents and carnivores). Useful summaries of non-mammalian hearing are available [1]. Because of the large size of the literature, review papers are referenced wherever possible.

Manufacturing of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a synthetic chemical with a long half-life in humans, peaked between 1970 and 2002, and has since diminished. In the United States, PFOA is detected in the blood of >99% of people tested, but serum concentrations have decreased since 1999. Much is known about exposure to PFOA in drinking water; however, the impact of non-drinking water PFOA exposure on serum PFOA concentrations is not well characterized. The objective of this research is to apply physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling and Monte Carlo analysis to evaluate the impact of historic non-drinking water PFOA exposure on serum PFOA concentrations. In vitro to in vivo extrapolation was utilized to inform descriptions of PFOA transport in the kidney. Monte Carlo simulations were incorporated to evaluate factors that account for the large inter-individual variability of serum PFOA concentrations measured in individuals from North Alabama in 2010 and 2016, and the Mid-Ohio River Valley between 2005 and 2008. Predicted serum PFOA concentrations were within two-fold of experimental data. With incorporation of Monte Carlo simulations, the model successfully tracked the large variability of serum PFOA concentrations measured in populations from the Mid-Ohio River Valley. Simulation of exposure in a population of 45 adults from North Alabama successfully predicted 98% of individual serum PFOA concentrations measured in 2010 and 2016, respectively, when non-drinking water ingestion of PFOA exposure was included. Variation in serum PFOA concentrations may be due to inter-individual variability in the disposition of PFOA and potentially elevated historical non-drinking water exposures. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Takeout (To) proteins exist in a diverse range of insect species. They are involved in many important processes of insect physiology and behaviors. As the ligand carriers, To proteins can transport the small molecule to the target tissues. However, ligand release mechanism of To proteins is unclear so far. In this contribution, the process and pathway of the ligand binding and release are revealed by conventional molecular dynamics simulation, steered molecular dynamics simulation and umbrella sampling methods. Our results show that the α4-side of the protein is the unique gate for the ligand binding and release. The structural analysis confirms that the internal cavity of the protein has high rigidity, which is in accordance with the recent experimental results. By using the potential of mean force calculations in combination with residue cross correlation calculation, we concluded that the binding between the ligand and To proteins is a process of conformational selection. Furthermore, the conformational changes of To proteins and the hydrophobic interactions both are the key factors for ligand binding and release.

To understand the effects of pyrazole substitution on reaction equilibrium, the interactions between a series of pyrazole-like ligands and [OV(O(2))(2)(D(2)O)](-)/[OV(O(2))(2)(HOD)](-) were explored by using multinuclear ((1)H, (13)C, and (51)V) magnetic resonance, HSQC, and variable temperature NMR in 0.15 mol/L NaCl ionic medium mimicking physiological conditions. These results show that the relative reactivities among the pyrazole-like ligands are 3-methyl-1H-pyrazole approximately 4-methyl-1H-pyrazole approximately 1H-pyrazole>1-methyl-1H-pyrazole. As a result, the main factor which affects the reaction equilibrium is the steric effect instead of the electronic effect of the methyl group of these ligands. A pair of isomers has been formed resulting from the coordination of 3-methyl-1H-pyrazole and a vanadium complex, which is attributed to different types of coordination between the vanadium atom and the ligands. Thus, the competitive coordination leads to the formation of a series of six-coordinate peroxovanadate species [OV(O(2))(2)L](-) (L, pyrazole-like ligands). Moreover, the results of density functional calculations provided a reasonable explanation on the relative reactivity of the pyrazole-like ligands as well as the important role of solvation in these reactions.

Ligand binding to the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) results in receptor binding to glucocorticoid response elements (GREs) and the formation of transcriptional regulatory complexes. Equally important, these complexes are continuously disassembled, with active processes driving GR off GREs. We found that co-chaperone p23-dependent disruption of GR-driven transcription depended on the ligand binding domain (LBD). Next, we examined the importance of the LBD and of ligand dissociation in GR-GRE dissociation in living cells. We showed in fluorescence recovery after photobleaching studies that dissociation of GR from GREs is faster in the absence of the LBD. Furthermore, GR interaction with a target promoter revealed ligand-specific exchange rates. However, using covalently binding ligands, we demonstrated that ligand dissociation is not required for receptor dissociation from GREs. Overall, these studies showed that activities impinging on the LBD regulate GR exchange with GREs but that the dissociation of GR from GREs is independent from ligand dissociation.

The surface lachrymal-fluid (LF) tension was investigated by teardrop dissection in 115 patients with myopia before they were prescribed soft contact lenses (SCL). Such tension was found to be of clinical importance for the development of SCL adaptation disorders. A longer adaptation period in patients with myopia was associated with a low surface LF tension. A high surface LF tension concurrent with the teardrop dissection mode of the destruction type was typical of the pathological nature of SCL adaptation (12.1% of patients). The obtained data are needed to detect timely the risk of dysadaptation disorders and corneal complications before SCL prescription for the purpose of undertaking the pathogenetically substantiated medication to prevent such complications.

Advances in understanding the physiology and pharmacology of the endogenous cannabinoid system have potentiated the interest of cannabinoid receptors as potential therapeutic targets. Cannabinoids have been shown to modulate a variety of immune cell functions and have therapeutic implications on central nervous system (CNS) inflammation, chronic inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, and may be therapeutically useful in treating autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis. Many of these drug effects occur through cannabinoid receptor signalling mechanisms and the modulation of cytokines and other gene products. Further, endocannabinoids have been found to have many physiological and patho-physiological functions, including mood alteration and analgesia, control of energy balance, gut motility, motor and co-ordination activities, as well as alleviation of neurological, psychiatric and eating disorders. Plants offer a wide range of chemical diversity and have been a growing domain in the search for effective cannabinoid ligands. Cannabis sativa L. with the known plant cannabinoid, Delta(9-)tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Echinacea species with the cannabinoid (CB) receptor-binding lipophilic alkamides are the best known herbal cannabimimetics. This review focuses on the state of the art in CB ligands from plants, as well their possible therapeutic and immunomodulatory effects.

The human organism is an integrated network where complex physiologic systems, each with its own regulatory mechanisms, continuously interact, and where failure of one system can trigger a breakdown of the entire network. Identifying and quantifying dynamical networks of diverse systems with different types of interactions is a challenge. Here, we develop a framework to probe interactions among diverse systems, and we identify a physiologic network. We find that each physiologic state is characterized by a specific network structure, demonstrating a robust interplay between network topology and function. Across physiologic states the network undergoes topological transitions associated with fast reorganization of physiologic interactions on time scales of a few minutes, indicating high network flexibility in response to perturbations. The proposed system-wide integrative approach may facilitate new dimensions to the field of systems physiology.

Sea cucumbers are dominant invertebrates in several ecosystems such as coral reefs, seagrass meadows and mangroves. As bioturbators, they have an important ecological role in making available calcium carbonate and nutrients to the rest of the community. However, due to their commercial value, they face overexploitation in the natural environment. On top of that, occurring ocean acidification could impact these organisms, considered sensitive as echinoderms are osmoconformers, high-magnesium calcite producers and have a low metabolism. As a first investigation of the impact of ocean acidification on sea cucumbers, we tested the impact of short-term (6 to 12 days) exposure to ocean acidification (seawater pH 7.7 and 7.4) on two sea cucumbers collected in SW Madagascar, Holothuria scabra, a high commercial value species living in the seagrass meadows, and H. parva, inhabiting the mangroves. The former lives in a habitat with moderate fluctuations of seawater chemistry (driven by day-night differences) while the second lives in a highly variable intertidal environment. In both species, pH of the coelomic fluid was significantly negatively affected by reduced seawater pH, with a pronounced extracellular acidosis in individuals maintained at pH 7.7 and 7.4. This acidosis was due to an increased dissolved inorganic carbon content and pCO2 of the coelomic fluid, indicating a limited diffusion of the CO2 towards the external medium. However, respiration and ammonium excretion rates were not affected. No evidence of accumulation of bicarbonate was observed to buffer the coelomic fluid pH. If this acidosis stays uncompensated for when facing long-term exposure, other processes could be affected in both species, eventually leading to impacts on their ecological role.

Takeout (To) proteins are found exclusively in insects and have been proposed to have important roles in various aspects of their physiology and behavior. Limited sequence similarity with juvenile hormone-binding proteins (JHBPs), which specifically bind and transport juvenile hormones in Lepidoptera, suggested a role for To proteins in binding hydrophobic ligands. We present the first crystal structure of a To protein, EpTo1 from the light brown apple moth Epiphyas postvittana, solved in-house by the single-wavelength anomalous diffraction technique using sulfur anomalous dispersion, and refined to 1.3 {angstrom} resolution. EpTo1 adopts the unusual {alpha}/{beta}-wrap fold, seen only for JHBP and several mammalian lipid carrier proteins, a scaffold tailored for the binding and/or transport of hydrophobic ligands. EpTo1 has a 45 {angstrom} long, purely hydrophobic, internal tunnel that extends for the full length of the protein and accommodates a bound ligand. The latter was shown by mass spectrometry to be ubiquinone-8 and is probably derived from Escherichia coli. The structure provides the first direct experimental evidence that To proteins are ligand carriers; gives insights into the nature of endogenous ligand(s) of EpTo1; shows, by comparison with JHBP, a basis for different ligand specificities; and suggests a mechanism for the binding/release of ligands.

Structurally diverse compounds have been shown to possess high affinities for benzodiazepine receptors in their 'diazepam-sensitive' (DS) conformations. In contrast, only the imidazobenzodiazepinone Ro 15-4513 has been shown to exhibit a high affinity for the 'diazepam-insensitive' (DI) conformation of benzodiazepine receptors. We examined a series of 1,4-diazepines containing one or more annelated ring systems for their affinities at DI and DS benzodiazepine receptors, several 1,4-diazepinone carboxylates including Ro 19-4603, Ro 16-6028 and Ro 15-3505 were found to possess high affinities (Ki approximately 2.6-20 nM) for DI. Nonetheless, among the ligands examined, Ro 15-4513 was the only substance with a DI/DS potency ratio approximately 1; other substances had ratios ranging from 13 to greater than 1000. Ligands with high to moderate affinities at DI were previously classified as partial agonists, antagonists, or partial inverse agonists at DS benzodiazepine receptors, but behaved as 'GABA neutral' (antagonist) substances at DI. The identification of several additional high affinity ligands at DI benzodiazepine receptors may be helpful in elucidating the pharmacological and physiologicalimportance of these sites.

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) have been demonstrated to play an important role in acid-base regulation in vertebrates. However, the classification and modulatory function of CAs in marine invertebrates, especially their responses to ocean acidification remain largely unknown. Here, a cytosolic α-CA (designated as CgCAII-1) was characterized from Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas and its molecular activities against CO2 exposure were investigated. CgCAII-1 possessed a conserved CA catalytic domain, with high similarity to invertebrate cytoplasmic or mitochondrial α-CAs. Recombinant CgCAII-1 could convert CO2 to HCO3(-) with calculated activity as 0.54 × 10(3) U/mg, which could be inhibited by acetazolamide (AZ). The mRNA transcripts of CgCAII-1 in muscle, mantle, hepatopancreas, gill, and hemocytes increased significantly after exposure to elevated CO2. CgCAII-1 could interact with the hemocyte membrane proteins and the distribution of CgCAII-1 protein became more concentrated and dense in gill and mantle under CO2 exposure. The intracellular pH (pHi) of hemocytes under CO2 exposure increased significantly (p ocean acidification and participate in acid-base regulation. Such cytoplasmic CA-based physiological regulation mechanism might explain other physiological responses of marine organisms to OA.

Full Text Available Selective and targeted delivery of drugs to tumors is a major challenge for an effective cancer therapy and also to overcome the side effects associated with current treatments. Overexpression of various receptors on tumor cells is a characteristic structural and biochemical aspect of tumors and distinguishes them from physiologically normal cells. This abnormal feature is therefore suitable for selectively directing anticancer molecules to tumors by using ligands that can preferentially recognize such receptors. Several subtypes of integrin receptors that are crucial for cell adhesion, cell signaling, cell viability and motility have been shown to have an upregulated expression on cancer cells. Thus, ligands that recognize specific integrin subtypes represent excellent candidates to be conjugated to drugs or drug carrier systems and be targeted to tumors. In this regard, integrins recognizing the RGD cell adhesive sequence have been extensively targeted for tumor specific drug delivery. Here we review key recent examples on the presentation of RGD-based integrin ligands by means of distinct drug delivery systems, and discuss the prospects of such therapies to specifically target tumor cells.

Melatonin is a chronobiotic substance that acts as synchronizer by stabilizing bodily rhythms. Its synthesis occurs in various locations throughout the body, including the pineal gland, skin, lymphocytes and gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Its synthesis and secretion is controlled by light and dark conditions, whereby light decreases and darkness increases its production. Thus, melatonin is also known as the 'hormone of darkness'. Melatonin and analogs that bind to the melatonin receptors are important because of their role in the management of depression, insomnia, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease (AD), diabetes, obesity, alopecia, migraine, cancer, and immune and cardiac disorders. In this review, we discuss the mechanism of action of melatonin in these disorders, which could aid in the design of novel melatonin receptor ligands.

There has been a long history of interaction between mathematics and physiology. This book looks in detail at a wide selection of mathematical models in physiology, showing how physiological problems can be formulated and studied mathematically, and how such models give rise to interesting and challenging mathematical questions. With its coverage of many recent models it gives an overview of the field, while many older models are also discussed, to put the modern work in context. In this second edition the coverage of basic principles has been expanded to include such topics as stochastic differential equations, Markov models and Gibbs free energy, and the selection of models has also been expanded to include some of the basic models of fluid transport, respiration/perfusion, blood diseases, molecular motors, smooth muscle, neuroendrocine cells, the baroreceptor loop, turboglomerular oscillations, blood clotting and the retina. Owing to this extensive coverage, the second edition is published in two volumes. ...

Most physiological processes in living systems are fundamentally regulated by protein-ligand interactions. Understanding the process of ligand recognition by proteins is a vital activity in molecular biology and biochemistry. It is well known that the residues present at the binding site of the protein form pockets that provide a conducive environment for recognition of specific ligands. In many cases, the boundaries of these sites are not well defined. Here, we provide a web-server to systematically evaluate important residues in the binding site of the protein that contribute towards the ligand recognition through in silico alanine-scanning mutagenesis experiments. Each of the residues present at the binding site is computationally mutated to alanine. The ligand interaction energy is computed for each mutant and the corresponding ΔΔG values are calculated by comparing it to the wild type protein, thus evaluating individual residue contributions towards ligand interaction. The server will thus provide a ranked list of residues to the user in order to obtain loss-of-function mutations. This web-tool can be freely accessed through the following address: http://proline.biochem.iisc.ernet.in/abscan/.

The universality of gravity (1 g) in our daily lives makes it difficult to appreciate its importance in morphology and physiology. Bone and muscle support systems were created, cellular pumps developed, neurons organised and receptors and transducers of gravitational force to biologically relevant signals evolved under 1g gravity. Spaceflight provides the only microgravity environment where systematic experimentation can expand our basic understanding of gravitational physiology and perhaps provide new insights into normal physiology and disease processes. These include the surprising extent of our body's dependence on perceptual information, and understanding the effect and importance of forces generated within the body's weightbearing structures such as muscle and bones. Beyond this exciting prospect is the importance of this work towards opening the solar system for human exploration. Although both appear promising, we are only just beginning to taste what lies ahead.

Conclusions: Although the general pattern of avian physiology applies to cranes, we have identified many physiological mechanisms (e.g., effects of disturbance) that need further study. Studies with cranes are expensive compared to those done with domestic fowl because of the crane's larger size, low reproductive rate, and delayed sexual maturity. To summarize, the crane reproductive system is composed of physiological and anatomical elements whose function is controlled by an integrated neural-endocrine system. Males generally produce semen at a younger age than when females lay eggs. Eggs are laid in clutches of two (1 to 3), and females will lay additional clutches if the preceding clutches are removed. Both sexes build nests and incubate the eggs. Molt begins during incubation and body molt may be completed annually in breeding pairs. However, remiges are replaced sequentially over 2 to 3 years, or abruptly every 2 to 3 years in other species. Most immature birds replace their juvenal remiges over a 2 to 3 year period. Stress interferes with reproduction in cranes by reducing egg production or terminating the reproductive effort. In other birds, stress elevates corticosterone levels and decreases LHRH release. We know little about the physiological response of cranes to stress.

The passing of Professor Bengt Saltin on September 12, 2014 truly marks the end of an era. As editor of the Journal of Applied Physiology and one of Bengt’s many collaborators and colleagues, I wanted the Journal to celebrate his many seminal contributions by means of an Editorial. Professor Bent...

Five multinuelear cyclotriphosphazene ligands were synthesized and tested for their cleavage activities to plasmid DNA. All of these new compounds were confirmed by MS, 1H NMR, 31p NMR, 13C NMR and IR. Preliminary studies on the cleavage of pUC19 DNA in the presence of metal complexes were performed. The results revealed that these complexes could act as powerful catalysts under physiological conditions. The complexes 3b + Cu can effectively cleave DNA to nicked form, giving hydrolysis rate constant of 0.08/h under physiological conditions. An acid-base catalyzed DNA phosphate-diester hydrolysis mechanism was also proposed.

In view of the relevance of the reactivity of inert tetraamine Co(III) complexes having two substitutionally active cis positions capable of interact with biologically relevant ligands, the study of the reaction of cis-[Co(cyclen)(H2O)2](3+) and [Co(tren)(H2O)2](3+) with chlorides, inorganic phosphate and 5'-CMP (5'-cytidinemonophosphate) has been pursued at physiological pH. The results indicate that, in addition to the actuation of the expected labilising conjugate-base mechanism, the formation of mono and inert bis hydroxo-bridged species is relevant for understanding their speciation and reactivity. The reactivity pattern observed also indicates the key role played by the "innocent" buffers frequently used in most in vitro studies, which can make the results unreliable in many cases. The differences between the reactivity of inorganic and biologically relevant phosphates has also been found to be remarkable, with outer-sphere hydrogen bonding interactions being a dominant factor for the process. While for the inorganic phosphate substitution process the formation of μ-η(2)-OPO2O represents the termination of the reactivity monitored, for 5'-CMP only the formation of η(1)-OPO3 species is observed, which evolve with time to the final dead-end bis hydroxo-bridged complexes. The promoted hydrolysis of the 5'-CMP phosphate has not been observed in any of the processes studied.

In the past decade, single-molecule force spectroscopy has provided new insights into the key interactions stabilizing folded proteins. A few recent studies probing the effects of ligand binding on mechanical protein stability have come to quite different conclusions. While some proteins seem to be stabilized considerably by a bound ligand, others appear to be unaffected. Since force acts as a vector in space, it is conceivable that mechanical stabilization by ligand binding is dependent on the direction of force application. In this study, we vary the direction of the force to investigate the effect of ligand binding on the stability of maltose binding protein (MBP). MBP consists of two lobes connected by a hinge region that move from an open to a closed conformation when the ligand maltose binds. Previous mechanical experiments, where load was applied to the N and C termini, have demonstrated that MBP is built up of four building blocks (unfoldons) that sequentially detach from the folded structure. In this study, we design the pulling direction so that force application moves the two MBP lobes apart along the hinge axis. Mechanical unfolding in this geometry proceeds via an intermediate state whose boundaries coincide with previously reported MBP unfoldons. We find that in contrast to N-C-terminal pulling experiments, the mechanical stability of MBP is increased by ligand binding when load is applied to the two lobes and force breaks the protein-ligand interactions directly. Contour length measurements indicate that MBP is forced into an open conformation before unfolding even if ligand is bound. Using mutagenesis experiments, we demonstrate that the mechanical stabilization effect is due to only a few key interactions of the protein with its ligand. This work illustrates how varying the direction of the applied force allows revealing important details about the ligand binding mechanics of a large protein.

Background Protein-ligand binding is important for some proteins to perform their functions. Protein-ligand binding sites are the residues of proteins that physically bind to ligands. Despite of the recent advances in computational prediction for protein-ligand binding sites, the state-of-the-art methods search for similar, known structures of the query and predict the binding sites based on the solved structures. However, such structural information is not commonly available. Results In this paper, we propose a sequence-based approach to identify protein-ligand binding residues. We propose a combination technique to reduce the effects of different sliding residue windows in the process of encoding input feature vectors. Moreover, due to the highly imbalanced samples between the ligand-binding sites and non ligand-binding sites, we construct several balanced data sets, for each of which a random forest (RF)-based classifier is trained. The ensemble of these RF classifiers forms a sequence-based protein-ligand binding site predictor. Conclusions Experimental results on CASP9 and CASP8 data sets demonstrate that our method compares favorably with the state-of-the-art protein-ligand binding site prediction methods.

Full Text Available Background: Timely decision making in Intensive Care Unit (ICU is very essential to improve the outcome of critically sick patients. Conventional scores like Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE IV are quite cumbersome with calculations and take minimum 24 hours. Procalcitonin has shown to have prognostic value in ICU/Emergency department (ED in disease states like pneumonia, sepsis etc. NTproBNP has demonstrated excellent diagnostic and prognostic importance in cardiac diseases. It has also been found elevated in non-cardiac diseases. We chose to study the prognostic utility of these markers on ICU admission. Settings and Design: Retrospective observational study. Materials and Methods: A Retrospective analysis of 100 eligible patients was done who had undergone PCT and NTproBNP measurements on ICU admission. Their correlations with all cause mortality, length of hospital stay, need for ventilator support, need for vasopressors were performed. Results: Among 100 randomly selected ICU patients, 28 were non-survivors. NTproBNP values on admission significantly correlated with all cause mortality (P = 0.036, AUC = 0.643 and morbidity (P = 0.000, AUC = 0.763, comparable to that of APACHE-IV score. PCT values on admission did not show significant association with mortality, but correlated well with morbidity and prolonged hospital length of stay (AUC = 0.616, P = 0.045. Conclusion: The current study demonstrated a good predictive value of NTproBNP, in terms of mortality and morbidity comparable to that of APACHE-IV score. Procalcitonin, however, was found to have doubtful prognostic importance. These findings need to be confirmed in a prospective larger study.

The purpose of this work is to develop and implement a molecular design basis for selecting organic ligands that would be used in the cost-effective removal of specific radionuclides from nuclear waste streams. Organic ligands with metal ion specificity are critical components in the development of solvent extraction and ion exchange processes that are highly selective for targeted radionuclides. The traditional approach to the development of such ligands involves lengthy programs of organic synthesis and testing, which in the absence of reliable methods for screening compounds before synthesis, results in wasted research effort. The author`s approach breaks down and simplifies this costly process with the aid of computer-based molecular modeling techniques. Commercial software for organic molecular modeling is being configured to examine the interactions between organic ligands and metal ions, yielding an inexpensive, commercially or readily available computational tool that can be used to predict the structures and energies of ligand-metal complexes. Users will be able to correlate the large body of existing experimental data on structure, solution binding affinity, and metal ion selectivity to develop structural design criteria. These criteria will provide a basis for selecting ligands that can be implemented in separations technologies through collaboration with other DOE national laboratories and private industry. The initial focus will be to select ether-based ligands that can be applied to the recovery and concentration of the alkali and alkaline earth metal ions including cesium, strontium, and radium.

Homologation and substitution on the carbon backbone of (S)-glutamic acid [(S)-Glu, 1], as well as absolute stereochemistry, are structural parameters of key importance for the pharmacological profile of (S)-Glu receptor ligands. We describe a series of methyl-substituted 2-aminoadipic acid (AA......-ray crystallographic analyses, chemical correlation, and CD spectral analyses. The effects of the individual stereoisomers at ionotropic and metabotropic (S)-Glu receptors (iGluRs and mGluRs) were characterized. Compounds with S-configuration at the alpha-carbon generally showed mGluR2 agonist activity of similar...... limited effect on pharmacology. Structure-activity relationships at iGluRs in the rat cortical wedge preparation showed a complex pattern, some compounds being NMDA receptor agonists [e.g., EC(50) =110 microM for (2S,5RS)-5-methyl-AA (6a,b)] and some compounds showing NMDA receptor antagonist effects [e...

GPCRs are the most successful pharmaceutical targets in history. Nevertheless, the pharmacology of many GPCRs remains inaccessible as their endogenous or exogenous modulators have not been discovered. Tools that explore the physiological functions and pharmacological potential of these 'orphan' GPCRs, whether they are endogenous and/or surrogate ligands, are therefore of paramount importance. Rates of receptor deorphanization determined by traditional reverse pharmacology methods have slowed, indicating a need for the development of more sophisticated and efficient ligand screening approaches. Here, we discuss the use of structure-based ligand discovery approaches to identify small molecule modulators for exploring the function of orphan GPCRs. These studies have been buoyed by the growing number of GPCR crystal structures solved in the past decade, providing a broad range of template structures for homology modelling of orphans. This review discusses the methods used to establish the appropriate signalling assays to test orphan receptor activity and provides current examples of structure-based methods used to identify ligands of orphan GPCRs. Linked Articles This article is part of a themed section on Molecular Pharmacology of G Protein-Coupled Receptors. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v173.20/issuetoc.

The purpose of this work is to develop and implement a molecular design basis for selecting organic ligands that would be used tin applications for the cost-effective removal of specific radionuclides from nuclear waste streams.

Work on a new class of PN3-pincer ligands for metal-ligand cooperative catalysis is reviewed. While the field of the pyridine-based PN3-transition metal pincer complexes is still relatively young, many important applications of these complexes have already emerged. In several cases, the PN3-pincer complexes for metal-ligand cooperative catalysis result in significantly improved or unprecedented activities. The synthesis and coordination chemistry of PN3-pincer ligands are briefly summarized first to cover the synthetic routes for their preparation, followed by a focus review on their applications in catalysis. A specific emphasis is placed on the later section about the role of PN3-pincer ligands\\' dearomatization-rearomatization steps during the catalytic cycles. The mechanistic insights from density functional theory (DFT) calculations are also discussed.

Compare and contrast strategies remain common pedagogical practices within physiological education. With the support of an American Physiological Society Teaching Career Enhancement Award, we have developed a junior- or senior-level undergraduate curriculum for exercise physiology that compares and contrasts the physiological adaptations of…

Potassium is the most abundant exchangeable cation in the body. It exists predominantly in the intracellular fluid at concentrations of 140 to 150 meq/liter and in the extracellular fluid at concentrations of 3.5 to 5 meq/liter. The maintenance of the serum potassium concentration is a complex bodily function and results from the balance between intake, excretion, and distribution between intracellular and extracellular space. Ingested potassium is virtually completely absorbed from and minimally excreted through the intestine under nonpathologic circumstances. Renal excretion of potassium, which is the major chronic protective mechanism against abnormalities in potassium balance, depends on filtration, reabsorption, and a highly regulated distal nephron secretory process. Factors regulating potassium secretion include prior potassium intake, intracellular potassium, delivery of sodium chloride and poorly reabsorbable anions to the distal nephron, the urine flow rate, hormones such as aldosterone and beta-catecholamines, and the integrity of the renal tubular cell. The maintenance of distribution between the inside and outside of cells depends on the integrity of the cell membrane and its pumps, osmolality, pH, and the hormones insulin, aldosterone, beta 2-catecholamines, alpha-catecholamines, and prostaglandins. Both distribution across cell membranes and/or renal excretion of potassium may be altered by pharmacologic agents such as diuretics, alpha- and beta-catechol antagonists and agonists, depolarizing agents, and digitalis. Problems with hypokalemia and hyperkalemia can be analyzed on the basis of potassium physiology and pharmacology; proper treatment depends on an accurate analysis.

The diheme enzyme MauG catalyzes the posttranslational modification of a precursor protein of methylamine dehydrogenase (preMADH) to complete the biosynthesis of its protein-derived tryptophan tryptophylquinone (TTQ) cofactor. It catalyzes three sequential two-electron oxidation reactions which proceed through a high-valent bis-Fe(IV) redox state. Tyr294, the unusual distal axial ligand of one c-type heme, was mutated to His, and the crystal structure of Y294H MauG in complex with preMADH reveals that this heme now has His-His axial ligation. Y294H MauG is able to interact with preMADH and participate in interprotein electron transfer, but it is unable to catalyze the TTQ biosynthesis reactions that require the bis-Fe(IV) state. This mutation affects not only the redox properties of the six-coordinate heme but also the redox and CO-binding properties of the five-coordinate heme, despite the 21 {angstrom} separation of the heme iron centers. This highlights the communication between the hemes which in wild-type MauG behave as a single diheme unit. Spectroscopic data suggest that Y294H MauG can stabilize a high-valent redox state equivalent to Fe(V), but it appears to be an Fe(IV)=O/{pi} radical at the five-coordinate heme rather than the bis-Fe(IV) state. This compound I-like intermediate does not catalyze TTQ biosynthesis, demonstrating that the bis-Fe(IV) state, which is stabilized by Tyr294, is specifically required for this reaction. The TTQ biosynthetic reactions catalyzed by wild-type MauG do not occur via direct contact with the Fe(IV)=O heme but via long-range electron transfer through the six-coordinate heme. Thus, a critical feature of the bis-Fe(IV) species may be that it shortens the electron transfer distance from preMADH to a high-valent heme iron.

The anatomy, physiology and function of the olfactory system are reviewed, as are the normal effects of olfactory stimulation. It is speculated that olfaction may have important but unobtrusive effects on human behavior.

Full Text Available NKG2D and DNAM-1 are two activating receptors, present on the surface of NK cells and other cells of the immune system. Their ligands – MICA, MICB, ULBP1-6 for NKG2D, PVR/CD155 and Nectin-2/CD112 for DNAM-1 - can be constitutively expressed at low levels in some normal cells, but they are more often defined as stress-induced, since different stimuli can positively regulate their expression. In this review, we describe the molecular mechanisms involved in the up-regulation of NKG2D and DNAM-1 ligands under different physiological and pathological stress conditions, including mitosis, viral infections, and cancer. We will focus on the DNA damage response, as recent advances in the field have uncovered its important role as a common signaling pathway in the regulation of both NKG2D and DNAM-1 ligand expression in response to very diverse conditions and stimuli.

Full Text Available This article explores the relationship between the physiology of the emotions and the display of character in Victorian Britain. Charles Bell and others had begun to link certain physiological functions, such as respiration, with the expression of feelings such as fear, regarding the heart and other internal organs as instruments by which the emotions were made visible. But a purely functional account of the emotions, which emerged through the development of reflex physiology during the second half of the century, would dramatically alter the nature of feelings and the means of observing them. At the same time, instinctual or acquired sympathy, which had long underpinned the accurate reading of expressions, became a problem to be surmounted by new 'objectively'. Graphic recording instruments measuring a variety of physiological functions and used with increasing frequency in clinical diagnostics became of fundamental importance for tracing the movement of feelings during the period prior to the development of cinematography. They remained, in the form of devices such as the polygraph, a crucial and controversial means of measuring affective states, beneath the potentially deceptive surface of the body.

The G-protein-coupled receptor 55 (GPR55) was identified in 1999. It was proposed as a novel member of the endocannabinoid system due to the fact that some endogenous, plant-derived and synthetic cannabinoid ligands act on GPR55. However, the complexity of the cellular downstream signaling pathways related to GPR55 activation delayed the discovery of selective GPR55 ligands. It was only a few years ago that the high throughput screening of libraries of pharmaceutical companies and governmental organizations allowed to identify selective GPR55 agonists and antagonists. Since then, several GPR55 modulator scaffolds have been reported. The relevance of GPR55 has been explored in diverse physiological and pathological processes revealing its role in inflammation, neuropathic pain, bone physiology, diabetes and cancer. Considering GPR55 as a new promising therapeutic target, there is a clear need for new selective and potent GPR55 modulators. This review will address a current structural update of GPR55 ligands.

The content of human physiology as an independent part of current physiology is discussed. Substantiated is the point that subjects of human physiology are not only special sections of physiology where functions are inherent only in human (physiology of intellectual activity, speech, labor, sport), but also in peculiarities of functions, specificity of regulation of each of physiological systems. By the example of physiology of kidney and water-salt balance there are shown borders of norm, peculiarities of regulation in human, new chapters of renal physiology which have appeared in connection with achievements of molecular physiology.

Many types of cells can sense external ligand concentrations with cell-surface receptors at extremely high accuracy. Interestingly, ligand-bound receptors are often internalized, a process also known as receptor-mediated endocytosis. While internalization is involved in a vast number of important functions for the life of a cell, it was recently also suggested to increase the accuracy of sensing ligand as the overcounting of the same ligand molecules is reduced. Here we show, by extending simple ligand-receptor models to out-of-equilibrium thermodynamics, that internalization increases the accuracy with which cells can measure ligand concentrations in the external environment. Comparison with experimental rates of real receptors demonstrates that our model has indeed biological significance.

Full Text Available Liver X receptors (LXRs have been increasingly recognized as a potential therapeutic target to treat pathological conditions ranging from vascular and metabolic diseases, neurological degeneration, to cancers that are driven by lipid metabolism. Amidst intensifying efforts to discover ligands that act through LXRs to achieve the sought-after pharmacological outcomes, several lead compounds are already being tested in clinical trials for a variety of disease interventions. While more potent and selective LXR ligands continue to emerge from screening of small molecule libraries, rational design, and empirical medicinal chemistry approaches, challenges remain in minimizing undesirable effects of LXR activation on lipid metabolism. This review provides a summary of known endogenous, naturally occurring, and synthetic ligands. The review also offers considerations from a molecular modeling perspective with which to design more specific LXRβ ligands based on the interaction energies of ligands and the important amino acid residues in the LXRβ ligand binding domain.

Full Text Available The retinoid X receptors (RXRs are ligand-activated transcription factors which heterodimerize with a number of nuclear hormone receptors, thereby controlling a variety of (patho-physiological processes. Although synthetic RXR ligands are developed for the treatment of various diseases, endogenous ligand(s for these receptors have not been conclusively identified. We show here that mice lacking cellular retinol binding protein (Rbp1-/- display memory deficits reflecting compromised RXR signaling. Using HPLC-MS and chemical synthesis we identified in Rbp1-/- mice reduced levels of 9-cis-13,14-dihydroretinoic acid (9CDHRA, which acts as an RXR ligand since it binds and transactivates RXR in various assays. 9CDHRA rescues the Rbp1-/- phenotype similarly to a synthetic RXR ligand and displays similar transcriptional activity in cultured human dendritic cells. High endogenous levels of 9CDHRA in mice indicate physiological relevance of these data and that 9CDHRA acts as an endogenous RXR ligand.

A method for determining atomic level structures of macromolecule-ligand complexes through high-resolution powder diffraction analysis and a method for providing suitable microcrystalline powder for diffraction analysis are provided. In one embodiment, powder diffraction data is collected from samples of polycrystalline macromolecule and macromolecule-ligand complex and the refined structure of the macromolecule is used as an approximate model for a combined Rietveld and stereochemical restraint refinement of the macromolecule-ligand complex. A difference Fourier map is calculated and the ligand position and points of interaction between the atoms of the macromolecule and the atoms of the ligand can be deduced and visualized. A suitable polycrystalline sample of macromolecule-ligand complex can be produced by physically agitating a mixture of lyophilized macromolecule, ligand and a solvent.

Proteinase-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) is a G protein-coupled receptor involved in metabolism, inflammation, and cancers. It is activated by proteolysis, which exposes a nascent N-terminal sequence that becomes a tethered agonist. Short synthetic peptides corresponding to this sequence also activate PAR2, while small organic molecules show promising PAR2 antagonism. Developing PAR2 ligands into pharmaceuticals is hindered by a lack of knowledge of how synthetic ligands interact with and differentially modulate PAR2. Guided by PAR2 homology modeling and ligand docking based on bovine rhodopsin, followed by cross-checking with newer PAR2 models based on ORL-1 and PAR1, site-directed mutagenesis of PAR2 was used to investigate the pharmacology of three agonists (two synthetic agonists and trypsin-exposed tethered ligand) and one antagonist for modulation of PAR2 signaling. Effects of 28 PAR2 mutations were examined for PAR2-mediated calcium mobilization and key mutants were selected for measuring ligand binding. Nineteen of twenty-eight PAR2 mutations reduced the potency of at least one ligand by >10-fold. Key residues mapped predominantly to a cluster in the transmembrane (TM) domains of PAR2, differentially influence intracellular Ca(2+) induced by synthetic agonists versus a native agonist, and highlight subtly different TM residues involved in receptor activation. This is the first evidence highlighting the importance of the PAR2 TM regions for receptor activation by synthetic PAR2 agonists and antagonists. The trypsin-cleaved N-terminus that activates PAR2 was unaffected by residues that affected synthetic peptides, challenging the widespread practice of substituting peptides for proteases to characterize PAR2 physiology.

In the past several years, the concept of tissue-selective nuclear receptor ligands has emerged. This concept has come to fruition with estrogens, with the successful marketing of drugs such as raloxifene. The discovery of raloxifene and other selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) has raised the possibility of generating selective compounds for other pathways, including androgens (that is, selective androgen receptor modulators, or SARMs).

Full Text Available Extensive biochemical and pharmacological studies have determined three different subtypes of imidazoline receptors: I1-imidazoline receptors (I1-IR involved in central inhibition of sympathicus that produce hypotensive effect; I2-imidazoline receptors (I2-IR modulate monoamine oxidase B activity (MAO-B; I3-imidazoline receptors (I3-IR regulate insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells. Therefore, the I1/I2/I3 imidazoline receptors are selected as new, interesting targets for drug design and discovery. Novel selective I1/I2/I3 agonists and antagonists have been recently developed. In the present review, we provide a brief update to the field of imidazoline research, highlighting some of the chemical diversity and progress made in the 2D-QSAR, 3D-QSAR and quantitative pharmacophore development studies of I1-IR and I2-IR imidazoline receptor ligands. Theoretical studies of I3-IR ligands are not yet performed because of insufficient number of synthesized I3-IR ligands.

Several triplex-forming 9-mer oligonucleotide (TFO) conjugates with a methyl- or methoxy-substituted 5-phenyl-6H-indolo[3,2-b]quinoline (PIQ) attached at the 5'-terminus or 3'-terminus or at an internal C5 thymine position were synthesized and tested for their ability to form and stabilize a triple helix with a double-helical DNA target employing UV melting experiments, fluorescence titrations, and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). A considerable thermal stabilization by up to 14 degrees C at pH 6.0 was observed for the 5'- and 3'-conjugates with little influence on the type of substituent but also for a conjugate with the ligand tethered by a short linker to the interior of the 9-mer TFO. A detailed thermodynamic characterization of the unmodified TFO and its 5'-conjugate with a methyl-substituted ligand by ITC experiments yielded a DeltaDeltaG degrees of -1.8 kcal mol(-1) at pH 6.0 for the TFO-attached PIQ-triplex interaction and also revealed a favorable entropic contribution as the major determinant for the free energy of PIQ binding in the conjugate. The pH dependence of triplex thermal stability highlights the importance of ring protonation of the triplex-bound ligand for its effective interaction and triplex stabilization near physiological conditions.

The bone marrow (BM) niche is essential for lifelong hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) maintenance, proliferation and differentiation. Several BM cell types, including osteoblast lineage cells (OBC), mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and endothelial cells (EC) have been implicated in supporting HSC location and function, but the relative importance of these cell types and their secreted ligands remain controversial. We recently found that the cell surface receptors Robo4 and CXCR4 cooperate to localize HSC to BM niches. We hypothesized that Slit2, a putative ligand for Robo4, cooperates with the CXCR4 ligand SDF1 to direct HSC to specific BM niche sites. Here, we have isolated OBC, MSC and EC by flow cytometry and determined their frequency within the bone marrow and the relative mRNA levels of Slit2, SDF1 and Robo4. We found that expression of Slit2 and SDF1 were dynamically regulated in MSC and OBC-like populations following radiation, while Robo4 expression was restricted to EC. Radiation also significantly affected the cellularity and frequency of both the non-adherent and adherent cells within the BM stroma. These data support a physiological role for Slit2 in regulating the dynamic function of Robo-expressing cells within BM niches at steady state and following radiation.

Full Text Available Oxytocin (OXT has drawn increasing attention as a developmentally relevant neuropeptide given its role in the brain regulation of social behavior. It has been suggested that OXT plays an important role in the infant brain during caregiver attachment in nurturing familial contexts, but there is incomplete experimental evidence. Mouse models of OXT system genes have been particularly informative for the role of the OXT system in social behavior, however, the developing brain areas that could respond to ligand activation of the OXT receptor (OXTR have yet to be identified in this species. Here we report new data revealing dynamic ligand-binding distribution of OXTR in the developing mouse brain. Using male and female C57BL/6J mice at postnatal days (P 0, 7, 14, 21, 35, and 60 we quantified OXTR ligand binding in several brain areas which changed across development. Further, we describe OXTR ligand binding in select tissues of the near-term whole embryo at E18.5. Together, these data aid in the interpretation of findings in mouse models of the OXT system and generate new testable hypotheses for developmental roles for OXT in mammalian systems. We discuss our findings in the context of developmental disorders (including autism, attachment biology, and infant physiological regulation.

Quantum.Ligand.Dock (protein-ligand docking with graphic processing unit (GPU) quantum entanglement refinement on a GPU system) is an original modern method for in silico prediction of protein-ligand interactions via high-performance docking code. The main flavour of our approach is a combination of fast search with a special account for overlooked physical interactions. On the one hand, we take care of self-consistency and proton equilibria mutual effects of docking partners. On the other hand, Quantum.Ligand.Dock is the the only docking server offering such a subtle supplement to protein docking algorithms as quantum entanglement contributions. The motivation for development and proposition of the method to the community hinges upon two arguments-the fundamental importance of quantum entanglement contribution in molecular interaction and the realistic possibility to implement it by the availability of supercomputing power. The implementation of sophisticated quantum methods is made possible by parallelization at several bottlenecks on a GPU supercomputer. The high-performance implementation will be of use for large-scale virtual screening projects, structural bioinformatics, systems biology and fundamental research in understanding protein-ligand recognition. The design of the interface is focused on feasibility and ease of use. Protein and ligand molecule structures are supposed to be submitted as atomic coordinate files in PDB format. A customization section is offered for addition of user-specified charges, extra ionogenic groups with intrinsic pK(a) values or fixed ions. Final predicted complexes are ranked according to obtained scores and provided in PDB format as well as interactive visualization in a molecular viewer. Quantum.Ligand.Dock server can be accessed at http://87.116.85.141/LigandDock.html.

Our understanding of fetal circulatory physiology is based on experimental animal data, and this continues to be an important source of new insight into developmental mechanisms. A growing number of human studies have investigated the human physiology, with results that are similar but not identical to those from animal studies. It is time to appreciate these differences and base more of our clinical approach on human physiology. Accordingly, the present review focuses on distributional patterns and adaptational mechanisms that were mainly discovered by human studies. These include cardiac output, pulmonary and placental circulation, fetal brain and liver, venous return to the heart, and the fetal shunts (ductus venosus, foramen ovale and ductus arteriosus). Placental compromise induces a set of adaptational and compensational mechanisms reflecting the plasticity of the developing circulation, with both short- and long-term implications. Some of these aspects have become part of the clinical physiology of today with consequences for surveillance and treatment.

Bexarotene (LGD-1069), from Ligand, was the first retinoid X receptor (RXR)-selective, antitumor retinoid to enter clinical trials. The company launched the drug for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), as Targretin capsules, in the US in January 2000 [359023]. The company filed an NDA for Targretin capsules in June 1999, and for topical gel in December 1999 [329011], [349982] specifically for once-daily oral administration for the treatment of patients with early-stage CTCL who have not tolerated other therapies, patients with refractory or persistent early stage CTCL and patients with refractory advanced stage CTCL. The FDA approved Targretin capsules at the end of December 1999 for once-daily oral treatment of all stages of CTCL in patients refractory to at least one prior systemic therapy, at an initial dose of 300 mg/m2/day. After an NDA was submitted in December 1999 for Targretin gel, the drug received Priority Review status for use as a treatment of cutaneous lesions in patients with stage IA, IB or IIA CTCL [354836]. The FDA issued an approvable letter in June 2000, and granted marketing clearance for CTCL in the same month [370687], [372768], [372769], [373279]. Ligand had received Orphan Drug designation for this indication [329011]. At the request of the FDA, Ligand agreed to carry out certain post-approval phase IV and pharmacokinetic studies [351604]. The company filed an MAA with the EMEA for Targretin Capsules to treat lymphoma in November 1999 [348944]. The NDA for Targretin gel is based on a multicenter phase III trial that was conducted in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia involving 50 patients and a multicenter phase I/II clinical program involving 67 patients. Targretin gel was evaluated for the treatment of patients with early stage CTCL (IA-IIA) who were refractory to, intolerant to, or reached a response plateau for at least 6 months on at least two prior therapies. Efficacy results exceeded the protocol-defined response

The effects of aromas on humans are divided into physiological and psychological effects. The physiological effect acts directly on the physical organism, the psychological effect acts via the sense of smell or olfactory system, which in turn may cause a physiological effect. This paper reviews on the physiological effects which are used for the evaluation of the effects of aromas. Physiological parameters, i.e. heart rate blood pressure, electrodermal activity, electroencephalogram, slow pot...

Full Text Available Sotiria Gkisioti, Spyros D MentzelopoulosDepartment of Intensive Care Medicine, University of Athens Medical School, Evaggelismos General Hospital, Athens, GreeceAbstract: Shock means inadequate tissue perfusion by oxygen-carrying blood. In vasogenic shock, this circulatory failure results from vasodilation and/or vasoplegia. There is vascular hyporeactivity with reduced vascular smooth muscle contraction in response to α1 adrenergic agonists. Considering vasogenic shock, one can understand its utmost importance, not only because of its association with sepsis but also because it can be the common final pathway for long-lasting, severe shock of any cause, even postresuscitation states. The effective management of any patient in shock requires the understanding of its underlying physiology and pathophysiology. Recent studies have provided new insights into vascular physiology by revealing the interaction of rather complicated and multifactorial mechanisms, which have not been fully elucidated yet. Some of these mechanisms, such as the induction of nitric oxide synthases, the activation of adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium channels, and vasopressin deficiency, have gained general acceptance and are considered to play an important role in the pathogenesis of vasodilatory shock. The purpose of this review is to provide an update on the pathogenesis of vasogenic shock.Keywords: nitric oxide synthases, KATP channels, vasopressin, H2S, vasoplegic syndrome

Background: Timely decision making in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is very essential to improve the outcome of critically sick patients. Conventional scores like Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE IV) are quite cumbersome with calculations and take minimum 24 hours. Procalcitonin has shown to have prognostic value in ICU/Emergency department (ED) in disease states like pneumonia, sepsis etc. NTproBNP has demonstrated excellent diagnostic and prognostic importance in cardiac d...

Explorations into the heterogeneous population of native GABA type A receptors (GABAA Rs) and the physiological functions governed by the multiple GABAA R subtypes have for decades been hampered by the lack of subtype-selective ligands....

Recent advances in integrating microengineering and tissue engineering have generated promising microengineered physiological models for experimental medicine and pharmaceutical research. Here we review the recent development of microengineered physiological systems, or also known as "ogans-on-chips", that reconstitute the physiologically critical features of specific human tissues and organs and their interactions. This technology uses microengineering approaches to construct organ-specific microenvironments, reconstituting tissue structures, tissue-tissue interactions and interfaces, and dynamic mechanical and biochemical stimuli found in specific organs, to direct cells to assemble into functional tissues. We first discuss microengineering approaches to reproduce the key elements of physiologicallyimportant, dynamic mechanical microenvironments, biochemical microenvironments, and microarchitectures of specific tissues and organs in microfluidic cell culture systems. This is followed by examples of microengineered individual organ models that incorporate the key elements of physiological microenvironments into single microfluidic cell culture systems to reproduce organ-level functions. Finally, microengineered multiple organ systems that simulate multiple organ interactions to better represent human physiology, including human responses to drugs, is covered in this review. This emerging organs-on-chips technology has the potential to become an alternative to 2D and 3D cell culture and animal models for experimental medicine, human disease modeling, drug development, and toxicology.

The interactions of ground water with minerals and contaminants are of broad interest for geochemists but are not well understood. Experiments on the molecular scale can determine reaction parameters (i.e. rates of ligand exchange, activation entropy, activation entropy, and activation volume) that can be used in computations to gain insight into reactions that occur in natural groundwaters. Experiments to determine the rate of isotopic ligand exchange for three environmentally relevant metals, rhodium (Rh), iron (Fe), and neptunium (Np), are described. Many environmental transformations of metals (e.g. reduction) in soil occur at trivalent centers, Fe(III) in particular. Contaminant ions absorb to mineral surfaces via ligand exchange, and the reversal of this reaction can be dangerous, releasing contaminants into the environment. Ferric iron is difficult to study spectroscopically because most of its complexes are paramagnetic and are generally reactive toward ligand exchange; therefore, Rh(III), which is diamagnetic and less reactive, was used to study substitution reactions that are analogous to those that occur on mineral oxide surfaces. Studies on both Np(V) and Np(VI) are important in their own right, as 237Np is a radioactive transuranic element with a half-life of 2 million years.

DNA triple helices offer new perspectives toward oligonucleotide-directed gene regulation. However, the poor stability of some of these structures might limit their use under physiological conditions. Specific ligands can intercalate into DNA triple helices and stabilize them. Molecular modeling and thermal denaturation experiments suggest that benzo[f]pyrido[3, 4-b]quinoxaline derivatives intercalate into triple helices by stacking preferentially with the Hoogsteen-paired bases. Based on this model, it was predicted that a benzo[f]quino[3,4-b]quinoxaline derivative, which possesses an additional aromatic ring, could engage additional stacking interactions with the pyrimidine strand of the Watson-Crick double helix upon binding of this pentacyclic ligand to a triplex structure. This compound was synthesized. Thermal denaturation experiments and inhibition of restriction enzyme cleavage show that this new compound can indeed stabilize triple helices with great efficiency and specificity and/or induce triple helix formation under physiological conditions.

Protein kinases regulate the majority of signal transduction pathways in cells and have become important targets for the development of designer drugs. We present a systematic analysis of kinase-ligand interactions in all regions of the catalytic cleft of all 1252 human kinase-ligand cocrystal structures present in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). The kinase-ligand interaction fingerprints and structure database (KLIFS) contains a consistent alignment of 85 kinase ligand binding site residues that enables the identification of family specific interaction features and classification of ligands according to their binding modes. We illustrate how systematic mining of kinase-ligand interaction space gives new insights into how conserved and selective kinase interaction hot spots can accommodate the large diversity of chemical scaffolds in kinase ligands. These analyses lead to an improved understanding of the structural requirements of kinase binding that will be useful in ligand discovery and design studies.

EPA has developed a physiological information database (created using Microsoft ACCESS) intended to be used in PBPK modeling. The database contains physiological parameter values for humans from early childhood through senescence as well as similar data for laboratory animal spec...

G-quadruplex stabilizing compounds have recently received increased interest due to their potential application as anticancer therapeutics. A significant number of structurally diverse G-quadruplex ligands have been developed. Some of the most potent and selective ligands currently known are macr...

The androgen receptor (AR) plays a crucial role in normal physiology, development and metabolism as well as in the aetiology and treatment of diverse pathologies such as androgen insensitivity syndromes (AIS), male infertility and prostate cancer (PCa). Here we show that dimerization of AR ligand-binding domain (LBD) is induced by receptor agonists but not by antagonists. The 2.15-Å crystal structure of homodimeric, agonist- and coactivator peptide-bound AR-LBD unveils a 1,000-Å2 large dimerization surface, which harbours over 40 previously unexplained AIS- and PCa-associated point mutations. An AIS mutation in the self-association interface (P767A) disrupts dimer formation in vivo, and has a detrimental effect on the transactivating properties of full-length AR, despite retained hormone-binding capacity. The conservation of essential residues suggests that the unveiled dimerization mechanism might be shared by other nuclear receptors. Our work defines AR-LBD homodimerization as an essential step in the proper functioning of this important transcription factor. PMID:28165461

Small-molecule ligands of nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) govern the transcriptional regulation of metazoan development, cell differentiation, and metabolism. However, the physiologicalligands of many NHRs remain poorly characterized, primarily due to lack of robust analytical techniques. Using comparative metabolomics, we identified endogenous steroids that act as ligands of the C. elegans NHR, DAF-12, a vitamin D and liver X receptor homolog regulating larval development, fat metabolism, and lifespan. The identified molecules feature unexpected chemical modifications and include only one of two DAF-12 ligands reported earlier, necessitating a revision of previously proposed ligand biosynthetic pathways. We further show that ligand profiles are regulated by a complex enzymatic network, including the Rieske oxygenase DAF-36, the short-chain dehydrogenase DHS-16, and the hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase HSD-1. Our results demonstrate the advantages of comparative metabolomics over traditional candidate-based approaches and provide a blueprint for the identification of ligands for other C. elegans and mammalian NHRs.

Full Text Available The effects of aromas on humans are divided into physiological and psychological effects. The physiological effect acts directly on the physical organism, the psychological effect acts via the sense of smell or olfactory system, which in turn may cause a physiological effect. This paper reviews on the physiological effects which are used for the evaluation of the effects of aromas. Physiological parameters, i.e. heart rate blood pressure, electrodermal activity, electroencephalogram, slow potential brain waves (contingent negativevariation, and eye blink rate or pupil functions, are used as indices for the measurement of the aroma effects

Presents a comprehensive description of the theory and practical implementation of Doppler radar-based physiological monitoring. This book includes an overview of current physiological monitoring techniques and explains the fundamental technology used in remote non-contact monitoring methods. Basic radio wave propagation and radar principles are introduced along with the fundamentals of physiological motion and measurement. Specific design and implementation considerations for physiological monitoring radar systems are then discussed in detail. The authors address current research and commercial development of Doppler radar based physiological monitoring for healthcare and other applications.

Plastic expression of different integrin subunits controls the different stages of neural development, whereas in the adult integrins regulate synaptic stability. Evidence of integrin-channel crosstalk exists for ionotropic glutamate receptors. As is often the case in other tissues, integrin engagement regulates channel activity through complex signaling pathways that often include tyrosine phosphorylation cascades. The specific pathways recruited by integrin activation depend on cerebral region and cell type. In turn, ion channels control integrin expression onto the plasma membrane and their ligand binding affinity. The most extensive studies concern the hippocampus and suggest implications for neuronal circuit plasticity. The physiological relevance of these findings depends on whether adhesion molecules, aside from determining tissue stability, contribute to synaptogenesis and the responsiveness of mature synapses, thus contributing to long-term circuit consolidation. Little evidence is available for other ligand-gated channels, with the exception of nicotinic receptors. These exert a variety of functions in neurons and non neural tissue, both in development and in the adult, by regulating cell cycle, synaptogenesis and synaptic circuit refinement. Detailed studies in epidermal keratinocytes have shed some light on the possible mechanisms through which ACh can regulate cell motility, which may be of general relevance for morphogenetic processes. As to the control of mature synapses, most results concern the integrinic control of nicotinic receptors in the neuromuscular junction. Following this lead, a few studies have addressed similar topics in adult cerebral synapses. However, pursuing and interpreting these results in the brain is especially difficult because of the complexity of the nicotinic roles and the widespread contribution of nonsynaptic, paracrine transmission. From a pathological point of view, considering the well-known contribution of both

Ion channels are among the most important proteins in biology, regulating the activity of excitable cells and changing in diseases. Ideally it would be possible to actuate endogenous ion channels, in a temporally precise and reversible manner, and without requiring chemical cofactors. Here we present a modular protein architecture for fully genetically encoded, light-modulated control of ligands that modulate ion channels of a targeted cell. Our reagent, which we call a lumitoxin, combines a photoswitch and an ion channel-blocking peptide toxin. Illumination causes the photoswitch to unfold, lowering the toxin's local concentration near the cell surface, and enabling the ion channel to function. We explore lumitoxin modularity by showing operation with peptide toxins that target different voltage-dependent K+ channels. The lumitoxin architecture may represent a new kind of modular protein-engineering strategy for designing light-activated proteins, and thus may enable development of novel tools for modulating cellular physiology.

Tuning the properties of metallic clusters using different protecting ligand shells is an important step toward the application-orientated design of nanoparticles for nano-electronics and catalysis. An attractive property of these materials is the ability to engineer ligand shells composed of different molecules that influence the electronic structure of the system due to their chemical interaction with the metal core. Sometimes properties are not simply additive, and cooperative effects emer...

Site directed therapy promises to minimize treatment-limiting systemic effects associated with cytotoxic agents that have no specificity for pathologic tissues. One general strategy is to target cell surface receptors uniquely presented on particular tissues. Highly specific in vivo targeting of an emerging neoplasm through a single molecular recognition mechanism has not generally been successful. Nonspecific binding and specific binding to non-target cells compromise the therapeutic index of small molecule, ubiquitous cancer targeting ligands. In this work, we have designed and fabricated a nanoparticle (NP) construct that could potentially overcome the current limitations of targeted in vivo delivery. Quantum dots (QDs) were functionalized with a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) modified to enable specific cleavage by matrix metalloprotease-7 (MMP-7). The QDs were further functionalized with folic acid, a ligand for a cell surface receptor that is overexpressed in many tumors, but also expressed in some normal tissues. The nanomolecular construct is designed so that the PEG initially conceals the folate ligand and construct binding to cells is inhibited. MMP-7 activated peptide cleavage and subsequent unmasking of the folate ligand occurs only near tumor tissue, resulting in a proximity activated (PA) targeting system. QDs functionalized with both the MMP-7 cleavable substrate and folic acid were successfully synthesized and characterized. The proteolytic capability of the dual ligand QD construct was quantitatively assessed by fluorometric analysis and compared to a QD construct functionalized with only the PA ligand. The dual ligand PA nanoparticles studied here exhibit significant susceptibility to cleavage by MMP-7 at physiologically relevant conditions. The capacity to autonomously convert a biopassivated nanostructure to a tissue-specific targeted delivery agent in vivo represents a paradigm change for site-directed therapies.

Despite their tremendous economic importance, honey bees are not a typical model system for studying general questions of insect physiology. This is primarily due to the fact that honey bees live in complex social settings which impact their physiological and biochemical characteristics. Not surpris...

In the last 25 years data has grown exponentially dealing with the discovery of the endocannabinoid system consisting of specific cannabinoid receptors, their endogenous ligands, and enzymatic systems of their biosynthesis and degradation. Progress is being made in the development of novel agonists and antagonists with receptor subtype selectivity which should help in providing a greater understanding of the physiological role of the endocannabinoid system and perhaps also in a broad number of pathologies. This could lead to advances with important therapeutic potential of drugs modulating activity of endocannabinoid system as hypnotics, analgesics, antiemetics, antiasthmatics, antihypertensives, immunomodulatory drugs, antiphlogistics, neuroprotective agents, antiepileptics, agents influencing glaucoma, spasticity and other "movement disorders", eating disorders, alcohol withdrawal, hepatic fibrosis, bone growth, and atherosclerosis. The aim of this review is to highlight distribution of the CB1 and CB2 receptor subtypes in the nervous system and functional involvement of their specific ligands.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-dependent transcription factor, mediates toxicity of several classes of xenobiotics and also has importantphysiological roles in differentiation, reproduction, and immunity, although the endogenous ligand(s) mediating these functions is/are as yet unidentified. One candidate endogenous ligand, 2-(1'H-indolo-3'-carbonyl)-thiazole-4-carboxylic acid methyl ester (ITE), is a potent AhR agonist in vitro, activates the murine AhR in vivo, but does not induce toxicity. We hypothesized that ITE and the toxic ligand, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), may modify transcription of different sets of genes to account for their different toxicity. To test this hypothesis, primary mouse lung fibroblasts were exposed to 0.5muM ITE, 0.2nM TCDD, or vehicle for 4 h, and total gene expression was evaluated using microarrays. After this short-term and low-dose treatment, several hundred genes were changed significantly, and the response to ITE and TCDD was remarkably similar, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Induced gene sets included the expected battery of AhR-dependent xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes, as well as several sets that reflect the inflammatory role of lung fibroblasts. Real time quantitative RT-qPCR assay of several selected genes confirmed these microarray data and further suggested that there may be kinetic differences in expression between ligands. These data suggest that ITE and TCDD elicit an analogous change in AhR conformation such that the initial transcription response is the same. Furthermore, if the difference in toxicity between TCDD and ITE is mediated by differences in gene expression, then it is likely that secondary changes enabled by the persistent TCDD, but not by the shorter lived ITE, are responsible.

Full Text Available The lack of an effective analgesic treatment makes pain a clinical challenge and the need of a novel approach to identify new agents is urgent. In this scenario I2-ligands can be considered an alternative strategy in pain therapy. The development of an ex vivo model useful for the evaluation of functional activities at both a2 and I2-IBs (imidazoline binding sites is an important task in pharmacological sciences since several I2 ligands display activity also towards a receptors. The present study aims to develop an ex vivo model for estimating the activity of I2-IBs ligands in a biological sample where a1 and a2 adrenergic receptors are present. For this purpose the imidalzoline endogenous ligand, harmane, reference compounds, 2BFI and BU224, and imidazoline derivatives 1-3 have been selected taking into account their in vitro activity towards IBs and adrenergic receptors. All compounds have been tested ex vivo in guinea pig-ileum where a2A-ARs are prejunctionally and I2-IBS postjunctionally localized. Adrenergic component has been identified by the studying the interference of compounds on the electrically-evoked contraction while I2-IBs activity by testing the ability of compounds to inhibit the carbachol-evoked contractions in the presence of prazosin to mask the a1 adrenoceptors. Compounds 1 and 2 were found I2-IBs antago nists (pIC50=4.2 and 4.0, respectively whereas compound 3 was I2-IBs agonist (EC50=0.38 mM; All ligands were a2 adrenergic agonists. This paper suggests guinea-pig ileum as the first ex vivo approach for establishing both the intrinsic activity of I2-IBs ligands and the physiological correlation between IBs and adrenergic system.

Alkali metal ions play very important roles in all biological systems, some of them are essential for life. Their concentration depends on several physiological factors and is very variable. For example, sodium concentrations in human fluids vary from quite low (e.g., 8.2 mmol dm(-3) in mature maternal milk) to high values (0.14 mol dm(-3) in blood plasma). While many data on the concentration of Na(+) and K(+) in various fluids are available, the information on other alkali metal cations is scarce. Since many vital functions depend on the network of interactions occurring in various biofluids, this chapter reviews their complex formation with phosphates, nucleotides, amino acids, and related ligands of biological relevance. Literature data on this topic are quite rare if compared to other cations. Generally, the stability of alkali metal ion complexes of organic and inorganic ligands is rather low (usually log K Na(+) > K(+) > Rb(+) > Cs(+). For example, for citrate it is: log K ML = 0.88, 0.80, 0.48, 0.38, and 0.13 at 25 °C and infinite dilution. Some considerations are made on the main aspects related to the difficulties in the determination of weak complexes. The importance of the alkali metal ion complexes was also studied in the light of modelling natural fluids and in the use of these cations as probes for different processes. Some empirical relationships are proposed for the dependence of the stability constants of Na(+) complexes on the ligand charge, as well as for correlations among log K values of NaL, KL or LiL species (L = generic ligand).

Identification of tumour necrosis factor apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL), a TNF family ligand, sparked a torrent of research, following an initial observation that it could kill tumour cells, but spare normal cells. Almost a decade after its discovery, and with five known receptors, the true physiological role of TRAIL is still debated and its anti-tumorigenic properties limited by potential toxicity. This review takes a comprehensive look at the story of this enigmatic ligand,addressing its remaining potential as a therapeutic and providing an overview of the TRAIL receptors themselves.

Pregnant women undergo profound anatomical and physiological changes so that they can cope with the increased physical and metabolic demands of their pregnancies. The cardiovascular, respiratory, haematological, renal, gastrointestinal and endocrine systems all undergo importantphysiological alterations and adaptations needed to allow development of the fetus and to allow the mother and fetus to survive the demands of childbirth. Such alterations in anatomy and physiology may cause difficulties in interpreting signs, symptoms, and biochemical investigations, making the clinical assessment of a pregnant woman inevitably confusing but challenging. Understanding these changes is important for every practicing obstetrician, as the pathological deviations from the normal physiological alterations may not be clear-cut until an adverse outcome has resulted. Only with a sound knowledge of the physiology and anatomy changes can the care of an obstetric parturient be safely optimized for a better maternal and fetal outcome.

Studying binding interactions involving living cells requires a platform that carefully mimics the physiological parameters that govern these phenomena. Very often the amount of ligands that receptors can bind affect overall binding strength as is the case in cell adhesion. In addition, the physical

The traditional view on GPCRs held that they function as single monomeric units composed of identical subunits. This notion was overturned by the discovery that GPCRs can form homo- and hetero-oligomers, some of which are obligatory, and can further assemble into receptor mosaics consisting of three or more protomers. Oligomerisation exerts significant impacts on receptor function and physiology, offering a platform for the diversification of receptor signalling, pharmacology, regulation, crosstalk, internalization and trafficking. Given their involvement in the modulation of crucial physiological processes, heteromers could constitute important therapeutic targets for a wide range of diseases, including schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, substance abuse or obesity. This review aims at depicting the current developments in GPCR oligomerisation research, documenting various class A, B and C GPCR heteromers detected in vitro and in vivo using biochemical and biophysical approaches, as well as recently identified higher-order oligomeric complexes. It explores the current understanding of dimerization dynamics and the possible interaction interfaces that drive oligomerisation. Most importantly, it provides an inventory of the wide range of physiological processes and pathophysiological conditions to which GPCR oligomers contribute, surveying some of the oligomers that constitute potential drug targets. Finally, it delineates the efforts to develop novel classes of ligands that specifically target and tether to receptor oligomers instead of a single monomeric entity, thus ameliorating their ability to modulate GPCR function.

Health is one of the most important non-material assets and thus also has an enormous influence on material values, since treating and preventing diseases is expensive. The number one cause of death worldwide today originates in cardiovascular diseases. For these reasons the aim of understanding the functions and the interactions of the cardiovascular system is and has been a major research topic throughout various disciplines for more than a hundred years. The purpose of most of today's research is to get as much information as possible with the lowest possible effort and the least discomfort for the subject or patient, e.g. via non-invasive measurements. A family of tools whose importance has been growing during the last years is known under the headline of coupling measures. The rationale for this kind of analysis is to identify the structure of interactions in a system of multiple components. Important information lies for example in the coupling direction, the coupling strength, and occurring time lags. In this work, we will, after a brief general introduction covering the development of cardiovascular time series analysis, introduce, explain and review some of the most important coupling measures and classify them according to their origin and capabilities in the light of physiological analyses. We will begin with classical correlation measures, go via Granger-causality-based tools, entropy-based techniques (e.g. momentary information transfer), nonlinear prediction measures (e.g. mutual prediction) to symbolic dynamics (e.g. symbolic coupling traces). All these methods have contributed important insights into physiological interactions like cardiorespiratory coupling, neuro-cardio-coupling and many more. Furthermore, we will cover tools to detect and analyze synchronization and coordination (e.g. synchrogram and coordigram). As a last point we will address time dependent couplings as identified using a recent approach employing ensembles of time series. The

Full Text Available The Eph family receptor-interacting (ephrin ligands and erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma (Eph receptors constitute the largest known family of receptor tyrosine kinases. Ephrin ligands and their receptors form an important cell communication system with widespread roles in normal physiology and disease pathogenesis. In order to investigate potential roles of the ephrin-Eph system during palatogenesis and tongue development, we have characterized the cellular mRNA expression of family members EphrinA1-A3, EphA1–A8 and EphrinB2, EphB1, EphB4 during murine embryogenesis between embryonic day 13.5–16.5 using radioactive in situ hybridization. With the exception of EphA6 and ephrinA3, all genes were regionally expressed during the process of palatogenesis, with restricted and often overlapping domains. Transcripts were identified in the palate epithelium, localized at the tip of the palatal shelves, in the mesenchyme and also confined to the medial epithelium seam. Numerous Eph transcripts were also identified during tongue development. In particular, EphA1 and EphA2 demonstrated a highly restricted and specific expression in the tongue epithelium at all stages examined, whereas EphA3 was strongly expressed in the lateral tongue mesenchyme. These results suggest regulatory roles for ephrin-EphA signaling in development of the murine palate and tongue.

Serotonin (5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter that plays an important role in physiological functions. 5-HT has been implicated in sleep, feeding, sexual behavior, temperature regulation, pain, and cognition as well as in pathological states including disorders connected to mood, anxiety, psychosis and pain. 5-HT1A receptors have for a long time been considered as an interesting target for the action of antidepressant drugs. It was postulated that postsynaptic 5-HT1A agonists could form a new class of antidepressant drugs, and mixed 5-HT1A receptor ligands/serotonin transporter (SERT) inhibitors seem to possess an interesting pharmacological profile. It should, however, be noted that 5-HT1A receptors can activate several different biochemical pathways and signal through both G protein-dependent and G protein-independent pathways. The variables that affect the multiplicity of 5-HT1A receptor signaling pathways would thus result from the summation of effects specific to the host cell milieu. Moreover, receptor trafficking appears different at pre- and postsynaptic sites. It should also be noted that the 5-HT1A receptor cooperates with other signal transduction systems (like the 5-HT1B or 5-HT2A/2B/2C receptors, the GABAergic and the glutaminergic systems), which also contribute to its antidepressant and/or anxiolytic activity. Thus identifying brain specific molecular targets for 5-HT1A receptor ligands may result in a better targeting, raising a hope for more effective medicines for various pathologies. PMID:26262615

Full Text Available Aberrant glycosylation is a hallmark of cancer cells with increased evidence pointing to a role in tumor progression. In particular, aberrant sialylation of glycoproteins and glycolipids have been linked to increased immune cell evasion, drug evasion, drug resistance, tumor invasiveness, and vascular dissemination leading to metastases. Hypersialylation of cancer cells is largely the result of overexpression of sialyltransferases. Humans differentially express twenty different sialyltransferases in a tissue-specific manner, each of which catalyze the attachment of sialic acids via different glycosidic linkages (2-3; 2-6 or 2-8 to the underlying glycan chain. One important mechanism whereby overexpression of sialyltransferases contributes to an enhanced metastatic phenotype is via the generation of selectin ligands. Selectin ligand function requires the expression of sialyl-Lewis X and its structural-isomer sialyl-Lewis A, which are synthesized by the combined action of alpha 1-3-fucosyltransferases, 2-3-sialyltransferases, 1-4-galactosyltranferases, and N-acetyl--glucosaminyltransferases. The α2-3-sialyltransferases ST3Gal4 and ST3Gal6 are critical to the generation of functional E- and P-selectin ligands and overexpression of these sialyltransferases have been linked to increased risk of metastatic disease in solid tumors and poor outcome in multiple myeloma. Thus, targeting selectins and their ligands as well as the enzymes involved in their generation, in particular sialyltransferases, could be beneficial to many cancer patients. Potential strategies include sialyltransferase inhibition and the use of selectin antagonists, such as glycomimetic drugs and antibodies. Here, we review ongoing efforts to optimize the potency and selectivity of sialyltransferase inhibitors, including the potential for targeted delivery approaches, as well as evaluate the potential utility of selectin inhibitors, which are now in early clinical

The interaction of the title complex with selected glycine-containing dipeptides(L-L'H) such as glycyl-glycine(L-L1H), glycyl-L-alanine (L-L2H) and glycyl-L-leucine(L-L3H) has been studied spectrophotometrically in aqueous medium as a function of [substrate complex], [ligand] and temperature. The reaction has been monitored at 600 nm where the spectral difference between the reactant and product is a maximum. At pH 7.4, the interaction with studied dipeptides shows two parallel steps. i.e., it shows a non-linear dependence on the concentration of dipeptides; both processes are ligand-dependent. The rate constants for the processes are: k1 ∼ 10−3 s-1 and k2 ∼ 10−5 s-1. The activation parameters were calculated from Eyring plots. Based on the kinetic and activation parameters an associative interchange mechanism is proposed for the interaction processes. From the temperature dependence of the outer sphere association equilibrium constant, the thermodynamic parameters were also calculated. The product of the reaction has been characterized by IR and ESI-mass spectroscopic analysis.

Sleep is a natural periodic suspension of consciousness during which processes of rest and restoration occur. The cognitive, reparative and regenerative accompaniments of sleep appear to be essential for maintenance of health and homeostasis. This brief overview will examine the cardiovascular responses to normal and disordered sleep, and their physiologic and pathologic implications. In the past, sleep was believed to be a passive state. The tableau of sleep as it unfolds is anything but a passive process. The brain's activity is as complex as wakefulness, never "resting" during sleep. Following the demise of the 'passive theory of sleep' (the reticular activating system is fatigued during the waking day and hence becomes inactive), there arose the 'active theory of sleep' (sleep is due to an active general inhibition of the brain) (1). Hess demonstrated the active nature of sleep in cats, inducing "physiological sleep" with electrical stimulation of the diencephalon (2). Classical experiments of transection of the cat brainstem (3) at midpontine level inhibited sleep completely, implying that centers below this level were involved in the induction of sleep (1, 4). For the first time, measurement of sleep depth without awakening the sleeper using the electroencephalogram (EEG) was demonstrated in animals by Caton and in humans, by Berger (1). This was soon followed by discovery of the rapid eye movement sleep periods (REM) by Aserinski and Kleitman (5), demonstration of periodical sleep cycles and their association with REM sleep (6, 7). Multiple studies and steady discoveries (4) made polysomnography, with its ability to perform simultaneous whole night recordings of EEG, electromyogram (EMG), and electrooculogram (EOC), a major diagnostic tool in study of sleep disorders. This facility has been of further critical importance in allowing evaluation of the interaction between sleep and changes in hemodynamics and autonomic cardiovascular control. Consequently the

This edited collection will provide an overview of the field of physiological computing, i.e. the use of physiological signals as input for computer control. It will cover a breadth of current research, from brain-computer interfaces to telemedicine.

Topics such as sports, exercise, health, and nutrition can make the science of physiology relevant and engaging for students. In addition, many lessons on these topics, such as those on the cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive systems, align with national and state life science education standards. Physiology Understanding Week (PhUn…

The elite athlete represents the extreme of the human gene pool, where genetic endowment is developed by an intensive training programme. Sport encompasses many different activities, calling for different physical and mental attributes. Understanding the physiology of exercise provides insights into normal physiological function.

Drug discovery scientists, faced with the myriad challenges involved in developing novel therapeutics as medicines, have tended to overlook the question of the most beneficial time to administer the drug. Recent developments in our understanding of circadian biology and the availability of tools to characterise the molecular clock indicate that time and duration of dosing may have profound consequences for the efficacy and safety of new and existing therapeutic agents. Progress in the field also suggests that many key physiological mechanisms are remarkably dependent on the circadian clock. It has also become clear that a number of diseases with important unmet medical need display marked circadian variation in their symptoms and severity. These discoveries now reveal opportunities for new therapeutic strategies to be developed that act by modulation of biological rhythms. These novel therapeutic approaches are likely to be facilitated by the continuing development of chemical probes and synthetic ligands targeted to an increasing number of the key proteins that regulate the molecular clock.

The 2H phosphoesterase family contains enzymes with two His-X-Ser/Thr motifs in the active site. 2H enzymes are found in all kingdoms of life, sharing little sequence identity despite the conserved overall fold and active site. For many 2H enzymes, the physiological function is unknown. Here, we studied the structure of the 2H family member LigT from Escherichia coli both in the apo form and complexed with different active-site ligands, including ATP, 2′-AMP, 3′-AMP, phosphate, and NADP+. Comparisons to the well-characterized vertebrate myelin enzyme 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase (CNPase) highlight specific features of the catalytic cycle and substrate recognition in both enzymes. The role played by the helix α7, unique to CNPases within the 2H family, is apparently taken over by Arg130 in the bacterial enzyme. Other residues and loops lining the active site groove are likely to be important for RNA substrate binding. We visualized conformational changes related to ligand binding, as well as the position of the nucleophilic water molecule. We also present a low-resolution model of E. coli LigT bound to tRNA in solution, and provide a model for RNA binding by LigT, involving flexible loops lining the active site cavity. Taken together, our results both aid in understanding the common features of 2H family enzymes and help highlight the distinct features in the 2H family members, which must result in different reaction mechanisms. Unique aspects in different 2H family members can be observed in ligand recognition and binding, and in the coordination of the nucleophilic water molecule and the reactive phosphate moiety. PMID:28141848

PURPOSE: To examine how match performance parameters in trained footballers relate to skeletal muscle parameters, sprint ability and intermittent exercise performance. METHODS: 19 male elite football players completed an experimental game with physical performance determined by video analysis...... the complexity of parameters predicting physical football performance with Yo-Yo IR1 and HAD as the best predictors of total distance, while high expression of Na(+)-K(+) ATPase proteins and the Yo-Yo IR2 test are better predictors of high-intensity performance. Finally, sprint performance relates to skeletal...

The continuous and/or improper ingestion of irritants, including alcohol, NSAIDs, and Helicobacter pylori, often leads to serious gastropathies, affecting a wide range of people. A complex gastric defense system works to protect against these threats, for example by secreting mucus. Recently, by analysis of gene targeting mice for two gastrointestinal-tract-specific calpains, calpain-8 and calpain-9, we have demonstrated that they are cooperatively involved in the mucosal defense against stress-induced gastropathies. Calpains-8 and -9 are members of Ca2+ -dependent intracellular proteases comprising a superfamily in almost all eukaryotes, and form a functional complex, "G-calpain", expressed specifically in the mucus-producing cells. In this review, we show our recent results on calpains -8 and -9, and discuss gastric mucosal defense mechanisms involving them.

Full Text Available Prions have been extensively studied since they represent a new class of infectious agents in which a protein, PrPsc (prion scrapie, appears to be the sole component of the infectious particle. They are responsible for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, which affect both humans and animals. The mechanism of disease propagation is well understood and involves the interaction of PrPsc with its cellular isoform (PrPc and subsequently abnormal structural conversion of the latter. PrPc is a glycoprotein anchored on the cell surface by a glycosylphosphatidylinositol moiety and expressed in most cell types but mainly in neurons. Prion diseases have been associated with the accumulation of the abnormally folded protein and its neurotoxic effects; however, it is not known if PrPc loss of function is an important component. New efforts are addressing this question and trying to characterize the physiological function of PrPc. At least four different mouse strains in which the PrP gene was ablated were generated and the results regarding their phenotype are controversial. Localization of PrPc on the cell membrane makes it a potential candidate for a ligand uptake, cell adhesion and recognition molecule or a membrane signaling molecule. Recent data have shown a potential role for PrPc in the metabolism of copper and moreover that this metal stimulates PrPc endocytosis. Our group has recently demonstrated that PrPc is a high affinity laminin ligand and that this interaction mediates neuronal cell adhesion and neurite extension and maintenance. Moreover, PrPc-caveolin-1 dependent coupling seems to trigger the tyrosine kinase Fyn activation. These data provide the first evidence for PrPc involvement in signal transduction.

We present a systematic study of the effect of the number of methyl (Me) and cyclohexyl (Cy) functional groups in monodentate phosphine ligands on the solution-phase synthesis of ligated sub-nanometer gold clusters and their gas-phase fragmentation pathways. Small mixed ligand cationic gold clusters were synthesized using ligand exchange reactions between pre-formed triphenylphosphine ligated (PPh3) gold clusters and monodentate Me- and Cy-substituted ligands in solution and characterized using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and collision-induced dissociation (CID) experiments. Under the same experimental conditions, larger gold-PPh3 clusters undergo efficient exchange of unsubstituted PPh3 ligands for singly Me- and Cy-substituted PPh2Me and PPh2Cy ligands. The efficiency of ligand exchange decreases with an increasing number of Me or Cy groups in the substituted phosphine ligands. CID experiments performed for a series of ligand-exchanged gold clusters indicate that loss of a neutral Me-substituted ligand is preferred over loss of a neutral PPh¬3 ligand while the opposite trend is observed for Cy-substituted ligands. The branching ratio of the competing ligand loss channels is strongly correlated with the electron donating ability of the phosphorous lone pair as determined by the relative proton affinity of the ligand. The results indicate that the relative ligand binding energies increase in the order PMe3 < PPhMe2 < PPh2Me < PPh3< PPh2Cy < PPhCy2< PCy3. Furthermore, the difference in relative ligand binding energies increases with the number of substituted PPh3-mMem or PPh3-mCym ligands (L) exchanged onto each cluster. This study provides the first experimental determination of the relative binding energies of ligated gold clusters containing differently substituted monophosphine ligands, which are important to controlling their synthesis and reactivity in solution. The results also indicate that ligand substitution is an important

Three methods including the atomic resolved density of state, charge difference density, and the transition density matrix are used to visualize metal to ligand charge transfer (MLCT) in ruthenium(Ⅱ) ammine complex. The atomic resolved density of state shows that there is density of Ru on the HOMOs. All the density is localized on the ammine, which reveals that the excited electrons in the Ru complex are delocalized over the ammine ligand. The charge difference density shows that all the holes are localized on the Ru and the electrons on the ammine. The localization explains the MLCT on excitation. The transition density matrix shows that there is electron-hole coherence between Ru and ammine. These methods are also used to examine the MLCT in Os(bpy)(p0p)Cl ("Osp0p"; bpy=2,2'-bipyridyl; p0p=4,4'-bipyridyl) and the ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (LLCT) in Alq3. The calculated results show that these methods are powerful to examine MLCT and LLCT in the metal-ligand system.

The cardiovascular system of the fetus is physiologically different than the adult, mature system. Unique characteristics of the myocardium and specific channels of blood flow differentitate the physiology of the fetus from the newborn. Conditions of increased preload and afterload in the fetus, such as sacrococcygeal teratoma and twin-twin transfusion syndrome, result in unique and complex pathophysiological states. Echocardiography has improved our understanding of human fetal cadiovasvular physiology in the normal and diseased states, and has expanded our capability to more effectively treat these disease processes.

The properties of atomically monodisperse noble metal nanoclusters (NCs) are intricately intertwined with their precise molecular formula. The vast majority of size-specific NC syntheses start from the reduction of the metal salt and thiol ligand mixture. Only in gold was it recently shown that ligand-exchange could induce the growth of NCs from one atomically precise species to another; a process of yet unknown reversibility. Here, we present a process for the ligand-exchange-induced growth of atomically precise silver NCs, in a biphasic liquid-liquid system, which is particularly of interest because of its complete reversibility and ability to occur at room temperature. We explore this phenomenon in-depth using Ag35(SG)18 [SG= glutathionate] and Ag44(4-FTP)30 [4-FTP= 4-fluorothiophenol] as model systems. We show that the ligand-exchange conversion of Ag35(SG)18 into Ag44(4-FTP)30 is rapid (< 5 min) and direct, while the reverse process proceeds slowly through intermediate cluster sizes. We adapt a recently developed theory of reverse Ostwald ripening to model the NCs’ interconvertibility. The model’s predictions are in good agreement with the experimental observations, and they highlight the importance of small changes in the ligand-metal binding energy in determining the final equilibrium NC size. Based on the insight provided by this model, we demonstrated experimentally that by varying the choice of ligands, ligand-exchange can be used to obtain different sized NCs. The findings in this work establish ligand-exchange as a versatile tool for tuning cluster sizes.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are members of a superfamily of nuclear transcription factors. They are involved in mediating numerous physiological effects in humans, including glucose and lipid metabolism. PPAR alpha ligands effectively treat dyslipidemia and have significant

We review recent developments in our understanding of molecular recognition and ligand association, focusing on two major viewpoints: (a) studies that highlight new physical insight into the molecular recognition process and the driving forces determining thermodynamic signatures of binding and (b) recent methodological advances in applications to protein-ligand binding. In particular, we highlight the challenges posed by compensating enthalpic and entropic terms, competing solute and solvent contributions, and the relevance of complex configurational ensembles comprising multiple protein, ligand, and solvent intermediate states. As more complete physics is taken into account, computational approaches increase their ability to complement experimental measurements, by providing a microscopic, dynamic view of ensemble-averaged experimental observables. Physics-based approaches are increasingly expanding their power in pharmacology applications.

Mercury (Hg) is a major global pollutant arising from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Defining the factors that determine the relative affinities of different ligands for the mercuric ion, Hg2+, is critical to understanding its speciation, transformation, and bioaccumulation in the environment. Here, we use quantum chemistry to dissect the relative binding free energies for a series of inorganic anion complexes of Hg2+. Comparison of Hg2+ ligand interactions in the gaseous and aqueous phases shows that differences in interactions with a few, local water molecules led to a clear periodic trend within the chalcogenide and halide groups and resulted in the well-known experimentally observed preference of Hg2+ for soft ligands such as thiols. Our approach establishes a basis for understanding Hg speciation in the biosphere.

Green plates, removals and importation of personal effects Please note that, as from 1 April 2009, formalities relating to K and CD special series French vehicle plates (green plates), removals and importation of personal effects into France and Switzerland will be dealt with by GS Department (Building 73/3-014, tel. 73683/74407). Importation and purchase of tax-free vehicles in Switzerland, as well as diplomatic privileges, will continue to be dealt with by the Installation Service of HR Department (Building 33/1-011, tel. 73962). HR and GS Departments

The history for the development of chiral phosphorus ligands in catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation is briefly highlighted. This review focuses on the recent advances in the synthesis of the monodentate phosphorus ligands and their applications in catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation. The examples highlighted in this article clearly demonstrated the importance and advantages of monodentate phosphorus ligands, which had been ignored for 30 a and experienced a renaissance at the very beginning of this millennium, particularly in the area of asymmetric hydrogenation.

G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the most historically successful therapeutic targets. Despite this success there are many important aspects of GPCR pharmacology and function that have yet to be exploited to their full therapeutic potential. One in particular that has been gaining attention in recent times is that of GPCR ligands that bind to allosteric sites on the receptor distinct from the orthosteric site of the endogenous ligand. As therapeutics, allosteric ligands possess many th...

evaluates the esfincter function and retal sensitivity. METHOD: A study of 55 anal manometry was performed at the clinic of anal physiology of the Service of Surgical Clinic of the University of Toubate Hospital in patients with diagnosis of intestinal constipation or irritable bowel syndrome from january 2006 to may 2007. All the patients presented normal colonoscopy and were included in the diagnostic criteria of Rome II for Functional Constipation and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Manometry was performed with Alacer a perfusion device with 8 channels. RESULTS: There had not been found differences between the manometry about the pressures of rest, contraction and evacuation, as well as in the values of rectal sensitivity. We find differences in abdominal pain in patients with irritable bowel syndrome at the moment of the tolerable maximum volum where 69.2% of these patients had presented abdominal pain. CONCLUSION: Patients with the irritable bowel syndrome present pain with rectal tolerable maximum volume, that does not occur in constipated patients, in the gauging of the tolerable maximum volume, which did not have difference in relation to the other data of the manometry.

Paired immunoglobulin-like receptor (PILR) α is an inhibitory receptor that recognizes several ligands, including mouse CD99, PILR-associating neural protein, and Herpes simplex virus-1 glycoprotein B. The physiological function(s) of interactions between PILRα and its cellular ligands are not well understood, as are the molecular determinants of PILRα/ligand interactions. To address these uncertainties, we sought to identify additional PILRα ligands and further define the molecular basis for PILRα/ligand interactions. Here, we identify two novel PILRα binding partners, neuronal differentiation and proliferation factor-1 (NPDC1), and collectin-12 (COLEC12). We find that sialylated O-glycans on these novel PILRα ligands, and on known PILRα ligands, are compulsory for PILRα binding. Sialylation-dependent ligand recognition is also a property of SIGLEC1, a member of the sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectins. SIGLEC1 Ig domain shares ∼22% sequence identity with PILRα, an identity that includes a conserved arginine localized to position 97 in mouse and human SIGLEC1, position 133 in mouse PILRα and position 126 in human PILRα. We observe that PILRα/ligand interactions require conserved PILRα Arg-133 (mouse) and Arg-126 (human), in correspondence with a previously reported requirement for SIGLEC1 Arg-197 in SIGLEC1/ligand interactions. Homology modeling identifies striking similarities between PILRα and SIGLEC1 ligand binding pockets as well as at least one set of distinctive interactions in the galactoxyl-binding site. Binding studies suggest that PILRα recognizes a complex ligand domain involving both sialic acid and protein motif(s). Thus, PILRα is evolved to engage multiple ligands with common molecular determinants to modulate myeloid cell functions in anatomical settings where PILRα ligands are expressed.

Cytochrome c'' (cyt c'') from Methylophilus methylotrophus is unusual insofar as the heme has two axial histidine ligands in the oxidized form but one is detached when the protein is reduced. Despite cyt c'' having an axial site available for binding small ligands, we show here that only NO binds readily to the ferrous cyt c''. Binding of CO, as well as CN(-), on the other hand requires considerable structural reorganization, or reduction of the disulfide bridge close to the heme. Standard free energies for the binding of NO and CO reveal high selectivity of the ferrous cyt c'' for NO, indicating its putative physiological role. In this work, we characterize in detail the kinetics of NO binding and the structural features of the Fe(2+)-NO adduct by stopped-flow and resonance Raman spectroscopy, respectively.

Full Text Available Acid-base, electrolyte, and metabolic disturbances are common in the intensive care unit. Almost all critically ill patients often suffer from compound acid-base and electrolyte disorders. Successful evaluation and management of such patients requires recognition of common patterns (e.g., metabolic acidosis and the ability to dissect one disorder from another. The intensivists needs to identify and correct these condition with the easiest available tools as they are the associated with multiorgan failure. Understanding the elements of normal physiology in these areas is very important so as to diagnose the pathological condition and take adequate measures as early as possible. Arterial blood gas analysis is one such tool for early detection of acid base disorder. Physiology of acid base is complex and here is the attempt to simplify it in our day to day application for the benefit of critically ill patients.

This chapter summarizes fundamental knowledge and recent discoveries about the reproduction, physiology and biochemistry of plant-parasitic nematodes. Various types of reproduction are reviewed, including sexual reproduction and mitotic and meiotic parthenogenesis. Although much is known about the p...

Full Text Available Abundant evidences have shown that ghrelin, by its binding to GHS-R1a, plays an important role for fundamental physiological functions. Increasing attention is given to the GHS-R1a unusually high constitutive activity and its contribution to downstream signalling and physiological processes. Here, we review recent lines of evidences showing that the interaction between ligand-binding pocket TM domains and the ECL2 could be partially responsible for this high constitutive activity. Interestingly, GHSR-1a constitutive activity activates in turn the downstream PLC, PKC and CRE signalling pathways and this activation is reversed by the inverse agonist [D-Arg1, D-Phe5, D-Trp7,9, Leu11]-substance P (MSP. Noteworthy, GHSR-1a exhibits a C-terminal-dependent constitutive internalization. Non-sense GHS-R1a mutation (Ala204Glu, first discovered in Moroccan patients, supports the role of GHSR-1a constitutive activity in physiological impairments. Ala204Glu-point mutation, altering exclusively the GHSR-1a constitutive activity, was associated with familial short stature syndrome. Altogether, these findings suggest that GHS-R1a constitutive activity could contribute to GH secretion or body weight regulation. Consequently, future research on basic and clinical applications of GHS-R1a inverse agonists will be challenging and potentially rewarding.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) mediates toxic effects of dioxin and xenobiotic metabolism. AHR has an emerging role in the immune system, but its physiologicalligands and functional role in immunocytes remain poorly understood. Mast cells are immunocytes that are central to inflammatory...

Full Text Available ERα is a ligand-activated transcription factor, member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. Regulation of ERα levels is intrinsically required for its transcriptional activity and thus for the modulation of the physiological actions of the cognate hormone 17β-estradiol (E2. Indeed, ERα exogenous ligands that target this molecular circuitry are used as drugs in clinical practice. Interestingly, some natural and synthetic molecules, which human beings are commonly exposed to, interfere with the endocrine system and operate through ERα by selectively modifying its signalling. In addition, these molecules may also modulate ERα cellular content. Here, we report the recent advances in our understanding of how exogenous ERα ligands impact on receptor levels and change the physiological E2-dipendent modulation of specific cellular function.

In experimental animals a causal involvement of the multiligand receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) in the development of diabetic vascular complications has been demonstrated. However, the nature of RAGE ligands present in patients with diabetic nephropathy has not yet been defined; this leaves open the relevance of the RAGE system to the human disease.

An important result of research on mixed-lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (M'LnMOFs) is the realization of highly sensitive ratiometric luminescent thermometers. Here, we report the design and synthesis of the new M'LnMOF Tb0.80Eu0.20BPDA with high relative sensitivity in the physiological temperature regime (298-318 K). The emission intensity and luminescence lifetime were investigated and compared to those of existing materials. It was found that the temperature-dependent luminescence properties of Tb0.80Eu0.20BPDA are strongly associated with the distribution of the energy levels of the ligand. Such a property can be useful in the design of highly sensitive M'LnMOF thermometers.

Technologic developments in imaging will have a significant impact on cardiac imaging over the next decade. These advances will permit more detailed assessment of cardiac anatomy, complex assessment of cardiac physiology, and integration of anatomic and physiologic data. The distinction between anatomic and physiologic imaging is important. For assessing patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease, physiologic and anatomic imaging data are complementary. The strength of anatomic imaging rests in its ability to detect the presence of disease, whereas physiologic imaging techniques assess the impact of disease, such as whether a coronary atherosclerotic lesion limits myocardial blood flow. Research indicates that physiologic data are more prognostically important than anatomic data, but both may be important in patient management decisions. Integrated cardiac imaging is an evolving field, with many potential indications. These include assessment of coronary stenosis, myocardial viability, anatomic and physiologic characterization of atherosclerotic plaque, and advanced molecular imaging.

Growth and development of multicellular organisms are coordinately regulated by various signaling pathways involving the communication of inter- and intracellular components. To form the appropriate body patterns, cellular growth and development are modulated by either stimulating or inhibiting these pathways. Hormones and second messengers help to mediate the initiation and/or interaction of the various signaling pathways in all complex multicellular eukaryotes. In plants, hormones include small organic molecules, as well as larger peptides and small proteins, which, as in animals, act as ligands and interact with receptor proteins to trigger rapid biochemical changes and induce the intracellular transcriptional and long-term physiological responses. During the past two decades, the availability of genetic and genomic resources in the model plant species, Arabidopsis thaliana, has greatly helped in the discovery of plant hormone receptors and the components of signal transduction pathways and mechanisms used by these immobile but highly complex organisms. Recently, it has been shown that two of the most important plant hormones, auxin and abscisic acid (ABA), act through signaling pathways that have not yet been recognized in animals. For example, auxins stimulate cell elongation by bringing negatively acting transcriptional repressor proteins to the proteasome to be degraded, thus unleashing the gene expression program required for increasing cell size. The "dormancy" inducing hormone, ABA, binds to soluble receptor proteins and inhibits a specific class of protein phosphatases (PP2C), which activates phosphorylation signaling leading to transcriptional changes needed for the desiccation of the seeds prior to entering dormancy. While these two hormone receptors have no known animal counterparts, there are also many similarities between animal and plant signaling pathways. For example, in plants, the largest single gene family in the genome is the protein kinase

Parasitic worms come from two distinct, distant phyla, Nematoda (roundworms) and Platyhelminthes (flatworms). The nervous systems of worms from both phyla are replete with neuropeptides and there is ample physiological evidence that these neuropeptides control vital aspects of worm biology. In each phyla, the physiological evidence for critical roles for helminth neuropeptides is derived from both parasitic and free-living members. In the nematodes, the intestinal parasite Ascaris suum and the free-living Caenorhabditis elegans have yielded most of the data; in the platyhelminths, the most physiological data has come from the blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni. FMRFamide-like peptides (FLPs) have many varied effects (excitation, relaxation, or a combination) on somatic musculature, reproductive musculature, the pharynx and motor neurons in nematodes. Insulin-like peptides (INSs) play an essential role in nematode dauer formation and other developmental processes. There is also some evidence for a role in somatic muscle control for the somewhat heterogeneous grouping ofpeptides known as neuropeptide-like proteins (NLPs). In platyhelminths, as in nematodes, FLPs have a central role in somatic muscle function. Reports of FLP physiological action in platyhelminths are limited to a potent excitation of the somatic musculature. Platyhelminths are also abundantly endowed with neuropeptide Fs (NPFs), which appear absent from nematodes. There is not yet any data linking platyhelminth NPF to any particular physiological outcome, but this neuropeptide does potently and specifically inhibit cAMP accumulation in schistosomes. In nematodes and platyhelminths, there is an abundance of physiological evidence demonstrating that neuropeptides play critical roles in the biology of both free-living and parasitic helminths. While it is certainly true that there remains a great deal to learn about the biology of neuropeptides in both phyla, physiological evidence presently available points

Aluminium complex of a naphthalene-based benzene tripod ligand system has been reported for the selective recognition of fluoride in aqueous medium in physiological condition. The ligand can selectively recognize Al3+ through enhancement in the fluorescence intensity and this in situ formed aluminium complex recognizes fluoride through quenching of fluorescence. The receptor system detects fluoride in nanomolar range. The sensing property was extended for practical utility to sense fluoride in tap water, pond water and river water.

Progesterone receptor (PR) exists in two isoforms, PRA and PRB, and both contain activation functions AF-1 and AF-2. It is believed that AF-1 is primarily responsible for the ligand-independent activity, whereas AF-2 mediates ligand-dependent PR activation. Although more than a dozen post-translational modifications of PR have been reported, no post-translational modification on AF-1 or AF-2 has been reported. Using LC-MS/MS-based proteomic analysis, this study revealed AF-1 monomethylation at Lys-464. Mutational analysis revealed the remarkable importance of Lys-464 in regulating PR activity. Single point mutation K464Q or K464A led to ligand-independent PR gel upshift similar to the ligand-induced gel upshift. This upshift was associated with increases in both ligand-dependent and ligand-independent PR phosphorylation and PR activity due to the hyperactivation of AF-1. In contrast, mutation of Lys-464 to the bulkier phenylalanine to mimic the effect of methylation caused a drastic decrease in PR activity. Importantly, PR-K464Q also showed heightened ligand sensitivity, and this was associated with increases in its functional interaction with transcription co-regulators NCoR1 and SRC-1. These results suggest that monomethylation of PR at Lys-464 probably has a repressive effect on AF-1 activity and ligand sensitivity. PMID:24415758

Progesterone receptor (PR) exists in two isoforms, PRA and PRB, and both contain activation functions AF-1 and AF-2. It is believed that AF-1 is primarily responsible for the ligand-independent activity, whereas AF-2 mediates ligand-dependent PR activation. Although more than a dozen post-translational modifications of PR have been reported, no post-translational modification on AF-1 or AF-2 has been reported. Using LC-MS/MS-based proteomic analysis, this study revealed AF-1 monomethylation at Lys-464. Mutational analysis revealed the remarkable importance of Lys-464 in regulating PR activity. Single point mutation K464Q or K464A led to ligand-independent PR gel upshift similar to the ligand-induced gel upshift. This upshift was associated with increases in both ligand-dependent and ligand-independent PR phosphorylation and PR activity due to the hyperactivation of AF-1. In contrast, mutation of Lys-464 to the bulkier phenylalanine to mimic the effect of methylation caused a drastic decrease in PR activity. Importantly, PR-K464Q also showed heightened ligand sensitivity, and this was associated with increases in its functional interaction with transcription co-regulators NCoR1 and SRC-1. These results suggest that monomethylation of PR at Lys-464 probably has a repressive effect on AF-1 activity and ligand sensitivity.

Ligands and receptors of the TNF superfamily are therapeutically relevant targets in a wide range of human diseases. This chapter describes assays based on ELISA, immunoprecipitation, FACS, and reporter cell lines to monitor interactions of tagged receptors and ligands in both soluble and membrane-bound forms using unified detection techniques. A reporter cell assay that is sensitive to ligand oligomerization can identify ligands with high probability of being active on endogenous receptors. Several assays are also suitable to measure the activity of agonist or antagonist antibodies, or to detect interactions with proteoglycans. Finally, self-interaction of membrane-bound receptors can be evidenced using a FRET-based assay. This panel of methods provides a large degree of flexibility to address questions related to the specificity, activation, or inhibition of TNF-TNF receptor interactions in independent assay systems, but does not substitute for further tests in physiologically relevant conditions.

that most proteins containing MHC class I ligands were localised to the intracellular parts of the cell including the cytoplasm and nucleus. MHC class II ligand donors were, on the other hand, mostly membrane proteins. Conclusions/Significance: The results contribute to the ongoing debate concerning...... the nature of MHC ligand-containing proteins and can be used to extend the existing methods for MHC ligand predictions by including the source protein's localisation and expression profile. Improving the current methods is important in the growing quest for epitopes that can be used for vaccine or diagnostic...

Full Text Available Semiconductor nanocrystals hybridized with functional ligands represent an important new class of composite nanomaterials. The development of these new nanoscale building blocks has intensified over the past few years and offer significant advantages in a wide array of applications. Functional ligands allow for incorporation of nanocrystals into areas where their unique photophysics can be exploited. Energy and charge transfer between the ligands and the nanocrystal also result in enhanced physical properties that can be tuned by the choice of ligand architecture. Here, progress in the development and applications involving this new class of composite materials will be discussed.

Full Text Available Toll-like receptors (TLRs recognize evolutionarily-conserved molecular patterns originating from invading microbes. In this study, we were interested in determining if microbial ligands, which use distinct TLR2-containing receptor complexes, represent unique signals to the cell and can thereby stimulate unique cellular responses. Using the TLR2 ligands, R-FSL1, S-FSL1, Pam2CSK4, Pam3CSK4, and lipoteichoic acid (LTA, we demonstrate that these ligands activate NF-kappaB and MAP Kinase pathways with ligand-specific differential kinetics in murine macrophages. Most strikingly, LTA stimulation of these pathways was substantially delayed when compared with the other TLR2 ligands. These kinetics differences were associated with a delay in the LTA-induced expression of a subset of genes as compared with another TLR2 ligand, R-FSL1. However, this did not translate to overall differences in gene expression patterns four hours following stimulation with different TLR2 ligands. We extended this study to evaluate the in vivo responses to distinct TLR2 ligands using a murine model of acute inflammation, which employs intravital microscopy to monitor leukocyte recruitment into the cremaster muscle. We found that, although R-FSL1, S-FSL1, Pam2CSK4, and Pam3CSK4 were all able to stimulate robust leukocyte recruitment in vivo, LTA remained functionally inert in this in vivo model. Therefore distinct TLR2 ligands elicit unique cellular responses, as evidenced by differences in the kinetic profiles of signaling and gene expression responses in vitro, as well as the physiologically relevant differences in the in vivo responses to these ligands.

Integrins are cell-surface heterodimeric proteins that mediate cell-cell, cell-matrix, and cell-pathogen interactions. Half of the known integrin alpha subunits contain inserted domains (I domains) that coordinate ligand through a metal ion. Although the importance of conformational changes within...... isolated I domains in regulating ligand binding has been reported, the relationship between metal ion binding affinity and ligand binding affinity has not been elucidated. Metal and ligand binding by several I domain mutants that are stabilized in different conformations are investigated using isothermal...... titration calorimetry and surface plasmon resonance studies. This work suggests an inverse relationship between metal ion affinity and ligand binding affinity (i.e. constructs with a high affinity for ligand exhibit a low affinity for metal). This trend is discussed in the context of structural studies...

In the recent years there were numerous evidences that C-peptide, which was previously considered as a product of insulin biosynthesis, is one of the key regulators of physiological processes. C-peptide via heterotrimeric G(i/o) protein-coupled receptors activates a wide range of intracellular effector proteins and transcription factors and, thus, controls the inflammatory and neurotrophic processes, pain sensitivity, cognitive function, macro- and microcirculation, glomerular filtration. These effects of C-peptide are mainly expressed in its absolute or relative deficiency occurred in type 1 diabetes mellitus and they are less pronounced when the level of C-peptide is close to normal. Replacement therapy with C-peptide prevents many complications of type 1 diabetes, such as atherosclerosis, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and nephropathy. C-peptide interacts with the insulin hexamer complexes and induces their dissociation and, as a result, regulates the functional activity of the insulin signaling system. At the same time, C-peptide at the concentrations above physiological may demonstrate pro-inflammatory effects on the endothelial cells and cause atherosclerotic changes in the vessels, which should be considered in the study of pathogenic mechanisms of complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus, where the level of C peptide is increased, as well as in the development of approaches for C-peptide application in clinic. This review is devoted contemporary achievements and unsolved problems in the study of C-peptide, as an important regulator of physiological and biochemical processes.

The active cholera toxin responsible for the massive loss of water and ions in cholera patients via its ADP ribosylation activity is a heterodimer of the A1 subunit of the bacterial holotoxin and the human cytosolic ARF6 (ADP Ribosylation Factor 6). The active toxin is a potential target for the design of inhibitors against cholera. In this study we identified the potential ligandable sites of the active cholera toxin which can serve as binding sites for drug-like molecules. By employing an energy-based approach to identify ligand binding sites, and comparison with the results of computational solvent mapping, we identified two potential ligandable sites in the active toxin which can be targeted during structure-based drug design against cholera. Based on the probe affinities of the identified ligandable regions, docking-based virtual screening was employed to identify probable inhibitors against these sites. Several indole-based alkaloids and phosphates showed strong interactions to the important residues of the ligandable region at the A1 active site. On the other hand, 26 top scoring hits were identified against the ligandable region at the A1 ARF6 interface which showed strong hydrogen bonding interactions, including guanidines, phosphates, Leucopterin and Aristolochic acid VIa. This study has important implications in the application of hybrid structure-based and ligand-based methods against the identified ligandable sites using the identified inhibitors as reference ligands, for drug design against the active cholera toxin.

In the past year there have been many advances in the area of small bowel physiology and pathology and therapy. In preparation for this review, over 1500 papers were assessed. The focus is on presenting clinically useful information for the practising gastroenterologist. Selected important clinical learning points include the following: (1) glucose absorption mediated by SGLT1 is controlled by mRNA abundance, as well as by posttranscriptional processes including protein trafficking; (2) inducers of cytochrome P-450 decrease glucose and fructose absorption and increase glucose consumption in the intestine; (3) the regulated release of nutrients from the stomach into the upper intestine ensures that the modest intestinal transport reserve capacity is not exceeded; (4) hepatocyte growth factor and short-chain fatty acids may enhance intestinal adaptation and prevent the atrophy seen when total parenteral nutrition is infused; (5) inhibitors of pancreatic lipase and phospholipase H2 may be useful clinically to reduce absorption as part of a treatment program for obesity and hyperlipidemia; (6) several membrane-bound and cytosolic proteins have been identified in the enterocyte as well as in the hepatocyte and may be the target for the future therapeutic manipulation of bile acid metabolism and control of hyperlipidemia; (7) suspect bile acid malabsorption in the patient with otherwise unexplained chronic diarrhea; (8) a proportion of lipid absorption is protein-mediated, and this opens the way to targeting these proteins and thereby therapeutically modifying lipid absorption; (9) a high protein diet may be useful to increase the intestinal absorption of drugs transported by the H+/dipeptide cotransporter; (10) a metal transporter DCT1 has been identified, and this may open the way to a better understanding of disorders of, for example, iron and zinc metabolism; (11) the nutrient transporters such as SGLT1 are responsible for a portion of the intestinal absorption of

Since many bioactive compounds do not readily undergo direct labeling with radioisotopes of iodine, the novel prosthetic groups, p-toluenesulfonate esters of (E)- and (Z)-3-(tri-n-butylstannyl)prop-2-en-1-ol, were designed to complement existing methods for radioiodine incorporation. The preparation and synthetic utility of these bifunctional reagents are described. These vinylstannylated alkylating agents were coupled with nucleophilic functionalities (amide nitrogen, secondary amine, tertiary alcohol) in acceptable to excellent yields. Regio- and stereospecific radioiododestannylation with retention of configuration occurred under mild, no-carrier-added conditions to give the corresponding radiolabeled N- or O-iodoallyl analogs in good radiochemical yields with high specific radioactivities. The methodology is versatile and well-suited to selective labeling of small molecules with radioisotopes of iodine. Of particular importance are the N-iodoallyl analogs of spiperone and the O-iodoallyl analog of diprenorphine for in vitro and in vivo studies of dopamine D[sub 2] and opioid receptors. For in vivo studies of central serotonin 5-HT[sub 2] receptors via single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), novel radioiodinated N1-alkyl-2-iodo-LSD derivatives were synthesized. These target radioligands were prepared in moderate radiochemical yields. D-(+)-N1-ethyl-2-iodo-LSD, EIL, was identified as the most promising candidate of this series. [[sup 125]I]-EIL binds to central 5-HT[sub 2] receptors with high affinity and selectivity in vitro and labels 5-HT[sub 2] receptors in vivo with high specificity. For preparation of EIL labeled with [sup 123]I, an optimized procedure was developed that gave [[sup 123]I]-EIL in acceptable yields. This radioligand allowed visualization of serotonin 5-HT[sub 2] sites in living baboon brain via SPECT. [[sup 123]I]-EIL may serve as an agent for tomographic studies of human cerebral 5-HT[sub 2] receptors in normal and disease states.

Full Text Available Abstract Background Quinoline ring has therapeutic and biological activities. Quinolyl hydrazones constitute a class of excellent chelating agents. Recently, the physiological and biological activities of quinolyl hydrazones arise from their tendency to form metal chelates with transition metal ions. In this context, we have aimed to study the competency effect of a phenolic quinolyl hydrazone (H2L; primary ligand with some auxiliary ligands (Tmen, Phen or Oxine; secondary ligands towards oxidovanadium (IV ions. Results Mono- and binuclear oxidovanadium (IV - complexes were obtained from the reaction of a phenolic quinolyl hydrazone with oxidovanadium (IV- ion in absence and presence of N,N,N',N'- tetramethylethylenediamine (Tmen, 1,10-phenanthroline (Phen or 8-hydroxyquinoline (Oxine. The phenolic quinolyl hydrazone ligand behaves as monobasic bidentate (NO- donor with O- bridging. All the obtained complexes have the preferable octahedral geometry except the oxinato complex (2 which has a square pyramid geometry with no axial interaction; the only homoleptic complex in this study. Conclusion The ligand exchange (substitution/replacement reactions reflect the strong competency power of the auxiliary aromatic ligands (Phen/Oxine compared to the phenolic quinolyl hydrazone (H2L towards oxidovanadium (IV ion; (complexes 2 and 3. By contrast, in case of the more flexible aliphatic competitor (Tmen, an adduct was obtained (4. The obtained complexes reflect the strength of the ligand field towards the oxidovanadium (IV- ion; Oxine or Phen >> phenolic hydrazone (H2L > Tmen.

Carbohydrates are more and more of interest in drug design as they are important mediators in a whole range of biological processes. Because of the low affinity of carbohydrates for their receptors, multivalent ligand presentation was introduced. Multivalent compounds were shown to improve the affin

Inhibitory molecules of the B7/CD28 family play a key role in the induction of immune tolerance in the tumor microenvironment. The programmed death-1 receptor (PD-1), with its ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2, constitutes an important member of these inhibitory pathways. The relevance of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathw

A majority of mammalian genes exhibit daily fluctuations in expression levels, making circadian expression rhythms the largest known regulatory network in normal physiology. Cell-autonomous circadian clocks interact with daily light-dark and feeding-fasting cycles to generate approximately 24-hour oscillations in the function of thousands of genes. Circadian expression of secreted molecules and signaling components transmits timing information between cells and tissues. Such intra- and intercellular daily rhythms optimize physiology both by managing energy use and by temporally segregating incompatible processes. Experimental animal models and epidemiological data indicate that chronic circadian rhythm disruption increases the risk of metabolic diseases. Conversely, time-restricted feeding, which imposes daily cycles of feeding and fasting without caloric reduction, sustains robust diurnal rhythms and can alleviate metabolic diseases. These findings highlight an integrative role of circadian rhythms in physiology and offer a new perspective for treating chronic diseases in which metabolic disruption is a hallmark.

Physiology and Development. As before, Unit III begins with updated chapters on Cell Walls and Signals and Signal Transduction. The latter chapter has been expanded to include a discussion of major signaling molecules, such as calcium ions and plant hormones. A new, unified chapter entitled Signals from......Throughout its twenty-two year history, the authors of Plant Physiology have continually updated the book to incorporate the latest advances in plant biology and implement pedagogical improvements requested by adopters. This has made Plant Physiology the most authoritative, comprehensive......, and widely used upper-division plant biology textbook. In the Sixth Edition, the Growth and Development section (Unit III) has been reorganized and expanded to present the complete life cycle of seed plants from germination to senescence. In recognition of this enhancement, the text has been renamed Plant...

The molecular chaperone calreticulin has been shown to bind C1q and mannan-binding lectin (MBL), which are constituents of the innate immune defence system. C1q and MBL do not share a large sequence identity but have a similar overall molecular architecture: an N-terminal triple-helical collagen-like domain and a C-terminal globular domain with ligand-binding properties. C1q is a hetero-trimer, while MBL is a homo-trimer, but due to the presence of N-terminal cysteines they both form higher order oligomers of trimers, which are the mature functional molecules. The same molecular architecture is utilized by many other functionally diverse molecules and in this work the interaction of calreticulin with C1q and structurally similar molecules was investigated. In addition to C1q and MBL, CD40 ligand (CD40L), tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and Fas ligand (FasL) were found to bind calreticulin strongly. A low level or no binding was observed for adiponectin, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), CD30L, surfactant protein-A and -D and collagen VIII. The interaction with calreticulin required a conformational change in CD40L, TRAIL and FasL and showed the same characteristics as calreticulin's interaction with C1q and MBL: a time-dependent saturable binding to immobilized protein, which was initially sensitive to salt but gradually developed into a salt-insensitive interaction. Thus, the interaction requires a structural change in the interaction partner and leads to a conformational change in calreticulin itself. The implications of these results are that calreticulin may function as a general response modifier for a whole group of immunologically important proteins.

Infections with Histoplasma capsulatum are rare in Germany, and mostly imported from endemic areas. Infections can present as localized or disseminated diseases in immunocompromised as well as immunocompetent hosts. A travel history may be a major clue for diagnosing histoplasmosis. Diagnostic tools include histology, cultural and molecular detection as well as serology. Here we present four cases of patients diagnosed and treated in Freiburg between 2004 and 2013 that demonstrate the broad range of clinical manifestations of histoplasmosis: an immunocompetent patient with chronic basal meningitis; a patient with HIV infection and fatal disseminated disease; a patient with pulmonary and cutaneous disease and mediastinal and cervical lymphadenopathy; and an immunosuppressed patient with disseminated involvement of lung, bone marrow and adrenal glands.

The proteome-wide analysis of protein-ligand binding sites and their interactions with ligands is important in structure-based drug design and in understanding ligand cross reactivity and toxicity. The well-known and commonly used software, SMAP, has been designed for 3D ligand binding site comparison and similarity searching of a structural proteome. SMAP can also predict drug side effects and reassign existing drugs to new indications. However, the computing scale of SMAP is limited. We have developed a high availability, high performance system that expands the comparison scale of SMAP. This cloud computing service, called Cloud-PLBS, combines the SMAP and Hadoop frameworks and is deployed on a virtual cloud computing platform. To handle the vast amount of experimental data on protein-ligand binding site pairs, Cloud-PLBS exploits the MapReduce paradigm as a management and parallelizing tool. Cloud-PLBS provides a web portal and scalability through which biologists can address a wide range of computer-intensive questions in biology and drug discovery. PMID:23762824

Full Text Available The proteome-wide analysis of protein-ligand binding sites and their interactions with ligands is important in structure-based drug design and in understanding ligand cross reactivity and toxicity. The well-known and commonly used software, SMAP, has been designed for 3D ligand binding site comparison and similarity searching of a structural proteome. SMAP can also predict drug side effects and reassign existing drugs to new indications. However, the computing scale of SMAP is limited. We have developed a high availability, high performance system that expands the comparison scale of SMAP. This cloud computing service, called Cloud-PLBS, combines the SMAP and Hadoop frameworks and is deployed on a virtual cloud computing platform. To handle the vast amount of experimental data on protein-ligand binding site pairs, Cloud-PLBS exploits the MapReduce paradigm as a management and parallelizing tool. Cloud-PLBS provides a web portal and scalability through which biologists can address a wide range of computer-intensive questions in biology and drug discovery.

Full Text Available Molecular recognition, which is the process of biological macromolecules interacting with each other or various small molecules with a high specificity and affinity to form a specific complex, constitutes the basis of all processes in living organisms. Proteins, an important class of biological macromolecules, realize their functions through binding to themselves or other molecules. A detailed understanding of the protein–ligand interactions is therefore central to understanding biology at the molecular level. Moreover, knowledge of the mechanisms responsible for the protein-ligand recognition and binding will also facilitate the discovery, design, and development of drugs. In the present review, first, the physicochemical mechanisms underlying protein–ligand binding, including the binding kinetics, thermodynamic concepts and relationships, and binding driving forces, are introduced and rationalized. Next, three currently existing protein-ligand binding models—the “lock-and-key”, “induced fit”, and “conformational selection”—are described and their underlying thermodynamic mechanisms are discussed. Finally, the methods available for investigating protein–ligand binding affinity, including experimental and theoretical/computational approaches, are introduced, and their advantages, disadvantages, and challenges are discussed.

The proteome-wide analysis of protein-ligand binding sites and their interactions with ligands is important in structure-based drug design and in understanding ligand cross reactivity and toxicity. The well-known and commonly used software, SMAP, has been designed for 3D ligand binding site comparison and similarity searching of a structural proteome. SMAP can also predict drug side effects and reassign existing drugs to new indications. However, the computing scale of SMAP is limited. We have developed a high availability, high performance system that expands the comparison scale of SMAP. This cloud computing service, called Cloud-PLBS, combines the SMAP and Hadoop frameworks and is deployed on a virtual cloud computing platform. To handle the vast amount of experimental data on protein-ligand binding site pairs, Cloud-PLBS exploits the MapReduce paradigm as a management and parallelizing tool. Cloud-PLBS provides a web portal and scalability through which biologists can address a wide range of computer-intensive questions in biology and drug discovery.

We report an approach for obtaining novel cannabinoid analogues with controllable deactivation and improved druggability. Our design involves the incorporation of a metabolically labile ester group at the 2'-position on a series of (-)-Δ(8)-THC analogues. We have sought to introduce benzylic substituents α to the ester group which affect the half-lives of deactivation through enzymatic activity while enhancing the affinities and efficacies of individual ligands for the CB1 and CB2 receptors. The 1'-(S)-methyl, 1'-gem-dimethyl, and 1'-cyclobutyl analogues exhibit remarkably high affinities for both CB receptors. The novel ligands are susceptible to enzymatic hydrolysis by plasma esterases in a controllable manner, while their metabolites are inactive at the CB receptors. In further in vitro and in vivo experiments key analogues were shown to be potent CB1 receptor agonists and to exhibit CB1-mediated hypothermic and analgesic effects.

Full Text Available Singular values decomposition (SVD is one of the most important computations in linear algebra because of its vast application for data analysis. It is particularly useful for resolving problems involving least-squares minimization, the determination of matrix rank, and the solution of certain problems involving Euclidean norms. Such problems arise in the spectral analysis of ligand binding to macromolecule. Here, we present a spectral data analysis method using SVD (SVD analysis and nonlinear fitting to determine the binding characteristics of intercalating drugs to DNA. This methodology reduces noise and identifies distinct spectral species similar to traditional principal component analysis as well as fitting nonlinear binding parameters. We applied SVD analysis to investigate the interaction of actinomycin D and daunomycin with native DNA. This methodology does not require prior knowledge of ligand molar extinction coefficients (free and bound, which potentially limits binding analysis. Data are acquired simply by reconstructing the experimental data and by adjusting the product of deconvoluted matrices and the matrix of model coefficients determined by the Scatchard and McGee and von Hippel equation.

This ultimate ""must have"" and long awaited reference for every chemist working in the field of asymmetric catalysis starts with the core structure of the catalysts, explaining why a certain ligand or catalyst is so successful. It describes in detail the history, the basic structural characteristics, and the applications of these ""privileged catalysts"". A novel concept that gives readers a much deeper insight into the topic.

From a Cartesian perspective of rational analysis, the electric potential difference across the cell membrane is one of the fundamental concepts for the study of physiology. Unfortunately, undergraduate students often struggle to understand the genesis of this energy gradient, which makes the teaching activity a hard task for the instructor. The…

IN BRIEF Far from a simple absence of wakefulness, sleep is an active, regulated, and metabolically distinct state, essential for health and well-being. In this article, the authors review the fundamental anatomy and physiology of sleep and its regulation, with an eye toward interactions between sleep and metabolism.

Extended bouts of fasting are ingrained in the ecology of many organisms, characterizing aspects of reproduction, development, hibernation, estivation, migration, and infrequent feeding habits. The challenge of long fasting episodes is the need to maintain physiological homeostasis while relying solely on endogenous resources. To meet that challenge, animals utilize an integrated repertoire of behavioral, physiological, and biochemical responses that reduce metabolic rates, maintain tissue structure and function, and thus enhance survival. We have synthesized in this review the integrative physiological, morphological, and biochemical responses, and their stages, that characterize natural fasting bouts. Underlying the capacity to survive extended fasts are behaviors and mechanisms that reduce metabolic expenditure and shift the dependency to lipid utilization. Hormonal regulation and immune capacity are altered by fasting; hormones that trigger digestion, elevate metabolism, and support immune performance become depressed, whereas hormones that enhance the utilization of endogenous substrates are elevated. The negative energy budget that accompanies fasting leads to the loss of body mass as fat stores are depleted and tissues undergo atrophy (i.e., loss of mass). Absolute rates of body mass loss scale allometrically among vertebrates. Tissues and organs vary in the degree of atrophy and downregulation of function, depending on the degree to which they are used during the fast. Fasting affects the population dynamics and activities of the gut microbiota, an interplay that impacts the host's fasting biology. Fasting-induced gene expression programs underlie the broad spectrum of integrated physiological mechanisms responsible for an animal's ability to survive long episodes of natural fasting.

Nordic research on physiology and pathophysiology of the upper gastrointestinal tract has flourished during the last 50 years. Swedish surgeons and physiologists were in the frontline of research on the regulation of gastric acid secretion. This research finally led to the development of omeprazole, the first proton pump inhibitor. When Swedish physiologists developed methods allowing the assessment of acid secretion in isolated oxyntic glands and isolated parietal cells, the understanding of mechanisms by which gastric acid secretion is regulated took a great step forward. Similarly, in Trondheim, Norway, the acid producing isolated rat stomach model combined with a sensitive and specific method for determination of histamine made it possible to evaluate this regulation qualitatively as well as quantitatively. In Lund, Sweden, the identification of the enterochromaffin-like cell as the cell taking part in the regulation of acid secretion by producing and releasing histamine was of fundamental importance both physiologically and clinically. Jorpes and Mutt established a center at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm for the purification of gastrointestinal hormones in the 1960s, and Danes followed up this work by excelling in the field of determination and assessment of biological role of gastrointestinal hormones. A Finnish group was for a long period in the forefront of research on gastritis, and the authors' own studies on the classification of gastric cancer and the role of gastrin in the development of gastric neoplasia are of importance. It can, accordingly, be concluded that Nordic researchers have been central in the research on area of the upper gastrointestinal physiology and diseases.

Knowledge of the many physiological factors associated with egg production , fertility, incubation, and brooding in nondomestic birds is limited. Science knows even less about reproduction in most of the 238 endangered or threatened birds. This discussion uses studies of nondomestic and, when necessary, domestic birds to describe physiological control of reproduction. Studies of the few nondomestic avian species show large variation in physiological control of reproduction. Aviculturists, in order to successfully propagate an endangered bird, must understand the bird's reproductive peculiarities. First, investigators can do studies with carefully chosen surrogate species, but eventually they need to confirm the results in the target endangered bird. Studies of reproduction in nondomestic birds increased in the last decade. Still, scientists need to do more comparative studies to understand the mechanisms that control reproduction in birds. New technologies are making it possible to study reproductive physiology of nondomestic species in less limiting ways. These technologies include telemetry to collect information without inducing stress on captives (Howey et al., 1987; Klugman, 1987), new tests for most of the humoral factors associated with reproduction, and the skill to collect small samples and manipulate birds without disrupting the physiological mechanisms (Bercovitz et al., 1985). Managers are using knowledge from these studies to improve propagation in zoological parks, private and public propagation facilities, and research institutions. Researchers need to study the control of ovulation, egg formation, and oviposition in the species of nondomestic birds that lay very few eggs in a season, hold eggs in the oviduct for longer intervals, or differ in other ways from the more thoroughly studied domestic birds. Other techniques that would enhance propagation for nondomestlc birds include tissue culture of cloned embryonic cells, cryopreservation of embryos

Triathlons of all distances can be considered endurance events and consist of the individual disciplines of swimming, cycling and running which are generally completed in this sequential order. While it is expected that elite triathletes would possess high values for submaximal and maximal measures of aerobic fitness, little is known about how these values compare with those of single-sport endurance athletes. Earlier reviews, conducted in the 1980s, concluded that triathletes possessed lower V(O2(max)) values than other endurance athletes. An update of comparisons is of interest to determine if the physiological capacities of elite triathletes now reflect those of single-sport athletes or whether these physiological capacities are compromised by the requirement to cross-train for three different disciplines. It was found that although differences in the physiological attributes during swimming, cycling and running are evident among triathletes, those who compete at an international level possess V(O2(max)) values that are indicative of success in endurance-based individual sports. Furthermore, various physiological parameters at submaximal workloads have been used to describe the capacities of these athletes. Only a few studies have reported the lactate threshold among triathletes with the majority of studies reporting the ventilatory threshold. Although observed differences among triathletes for both these submaximal measures are complicated by the various methods used to determine them, the reported values for triathletes are similar to those for trained cyclists and runners. Thus, from the limited data available, it appears that triathletes are able to obtain similar physiological values as single-sport athletes despite dividing their training time among three disciplines.

Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NC) have reached a high level of synthetic control allowing the tuning of their properties, and their use in various applications. However, the surface of NCs and in particular their size-dependent capping organic ligand behavior, which play an important role in the NC synthesis, dispersibility, and optoelectronic properties, is still not well understood. We study the size-dependent properties of the ligand shell on the surface of NCs, by embedding surface bound dyes as a probe within the ligand shell. The reorientation times for these dyes show a linear dependence on the NC surface curvature indicating size-dependent change in viscosity, which is related to a change in the density of the ligand layer because of the geometry of the surface, a unique feature of NCs. Understanding the properties of the ligand shell will allow rational design of the surface to achieve the desired properties, providing an additional important knob for tuning their functionality.

The acyl-CoA binding protein (ACBP) is essential for the fatty acid metabolism, membrane structure, membrane fusion, and ceramide synthesis. Here high resolution crystal structures of human cytosolic liver ACBP, unliganded and liganded with a physiologicalligand, myristoyl-CoA are described....... The binding of the acyl-CoA molecule induces only few structural differences near the binding pocket. The crystal form of the liganded ACBP, which has two ACBP molecules in the asymmetric unit, shows that in human ACBP the same acyl-CoA binding pocket is present as previously described for the bovine...... and Plasmodium falciparum ACBP and the mode of binding of the 3'-phosphate-AMP moiety is conserved. Unexpectedly, in one of the acyl-CoA binding pockets the acyl moiety is bound in a reversed mode as compared with the bovine and P. falciparum structures. In this binding mode, the myristoyl-CoA molecule is fully...

Retinoid X receptors (RXRs) play key roles in many physiological processes in both the periphery and central nervous system. In addition, RXRs form heterodimers with other nuclear receptors to exert their physiological effects. The nuclear receptor related 1 protein (NURR1) is particularly interesting because of its role in promoting differentiation and survival of dopamine neurons. However, only a small number of RXR-heterodimer selective modulators are available, with limited chemical diversity. This work describes the synthesis, biochemical evaluation, and structural elucidation of a novel series of RXR ligands with strongly biased interactions with RXRα-NURR1 heterodimers. Targeted modifications to the small molecule biaryl scaffold caused local RXRα side-chain disturbances and displacement of secondary structural elements upon ligand binding. This resulted in the repositioning of protein helices in the heterodimer interface of RXRα, alterations in homo- versus heterodimer formation, and modulation of activation function 2 (AF2). The data provide a rationale for the design of RXR ligands consisting of a highly conserved hydrophilic region, strongly contributing to the ligand affinity, and a variable hydrophobic region, which efficiently probes the effects of structural changes at the level of the ligand on co-regulator recruitment or the RXRα-NURR1 dimerization interface.

In this review, we address a fundamental question: What is the range of conformational energies seen in ligands in protein-ligand crystal structures? This value is important biophysically, for better understanding the protein-ligand binding process; and practically, for providing a parameter to be used in many computational drug design methods such as docking and pharmacophore searches. We synthesize a selection of previously reported conflicting results from computational studies of this issue and conclude that high ligand conformational energies really are present in some crystal structures. The main source of disagreement between different analyses appears to be due to divergent treatments of electrostatics and solvation. At the same time, however, for many ligands, a high conformational energy is in error, due to either crystal structure inaccuracies or incorrect determination of the reference state. Aside from simple chemistry mistakes, we argue that crystal structure error may mainly be because of the heuristic weighting of ligand stereochemical restraints relative to the fit of the structure to the electron density. This problem cannot be fixed with improvements to electron density fitting or with simple ligand geometry checks, though better metrics are needed for evaluating ligand and binding site chemistry in addition to geometry during structure refinement. The ultimate solution for accurately determining ligand conformational energies lies in ultrahigh-resolution crystal structures that can be refined without restraints.

Dissolved organic copper-binding ligands were examined on the U.S. GEOTRACES zonal transect in the Eastern Tropical South Pacific from Peru to Tahiti. All samples were measured using competitive ligand exchange-adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (CLE-ACSV), and a subset were analyzed using multiple competition strengths of the added ligand salicylaldoxime (1, 2.5, 5, 10, and 25 μM). Titration data was processed using newly available multiple analytical window data processing techniques, which unify the multiple window dataset as a whole. Multiple competition strengths of the added ligand enabled the detection of an additional weaker class of copper-binding ligand, compared to the two stronger ligand classes which have been measured previously in the open ocean. The strongest ligand class (L1) ranged in concentration from 1-10 nmol L-1 and had a conditional stability constant (logK) ranging from approximately 15.0-16.0. The weaker ligand classes (L2, and L3) were present in much higher concentrations even in surface waters, with concentrations ranging from 5-50 nmol L-1 and conditional stability constants ranging from 8.6-12.5. The elevated ligand concentrations, both in surface and deep waters, lead to extremely low concentrations of Cu2+ throughout the transect, possibly influencing important biogeochemical processes such as inducible iron acquisition by diatoms, and ammonium oxidation in the oxygen minimum zone.

In Z-type ligands the electrons for the coordination bond are formally provided by the metal. They represent an important addition to the much more extensively used L- and X-type σ-donor ligands for the development of transition metal complexes with new reactivities. We report here a new boron Z-type ligand with three tethering thiopyridazinyl donors forming exclusively complexes that feature a metal boron bond. Rational substitution pattern in the backbone of the pyridazinyl heterocycle led to a well-behaved ligand system that allowed preparation of a series of copper boratrane complexes in high yields. They are found to be more soluble in common organic solvents allowing reactivity studies in contrast to previous complexes with this type of ligand. Thus, copper complexes [Cu{B(Pn(Me,tBu))3}X] with X = Cl, OTf, N3, and κN-NCS are reported. Solution behavior was explored, and the molecular structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The thiocyanate ligand is found to coordinate via its nitrogen atom pointing to a high oxidation state of the copper. Density functional theory calculations indicate a high positive charge on copper and a strong copper-boron interaction. Thus, here reported complexes deliver synthetic evidence for the Z-type nature of the ligand. These findings are important for further dissemination of these types of ligands in coordination chemistry.

Thunniform swimming, the capacity to conserve metabolic heat in red muscle and other body regions (regional endothermy), an elevated metabolic rate and other physiological rate functions, and a frequency-modulated cardiac output distinguish tunas from most other fishes. These specializations support continuous, relatively fast swimming by tunas and minimize thermal barriers to habitat exploitation, permitting niche expansion into high latitudes and to ocean depths heretofore regarded as beyond their range.

Background: Timely decision making in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is very essential to improve the outcome of critically sick patients. Conventional scores like Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE IV) are quite cumbersome with calculations and take minimum 24 hours. Procalcitonin has shown to have prognostic value in ICU/Emergency department (ED) in disease states like pneumonia, sepsis etc. NTproBNP has demonstrated excellent diagnostic and prognostic importance in cardiac diseases. It has also been found elevated in non-cardiac diseases. We chose to study the prognostic utility of these markers on ICU admission. Settings and Design: Retrospective observational study. Materials and Methods: A Retrospective analysis of 100 eligible patients was done who had undergone PCT and NTproBNP measurements on ICU admission. Their correlations with all cause mortality, length of hospital stay, need for ventilator support, need for vasopressors were performed. Results: Among 100 randomly selected ICU patients, 28 were non-survivors. NTproBNP values on admission significantly correlated with all cause mortality (P = 0.036, AUC = 0.643) and morbidity (P = 0.000, AUC = 0.763), comparable to that of APACHE-IV score. PCT values on admission did not show significant association with mortality, but correlated well with morbidity and prolonged hospital length of stay (AUC = 0.616, P = 0.045). Conclusion: The current study demonstrated a good predictive value of NTproBNP, in terms of mortality and morbidity comparable to that of APACHE-IV score. Procalcitonin, however, was found to have doubtful prognostic importance. These findings need to be confirmed in a prospective larger study. PMID:27052066

The pediatric surgeon deals with a large number and variety of congenital defects in neonates that frequently involve early surgical intervention and care. Because the neonatal cardiac physiology is unique, starting with the transition from fetal circulation and including differences in calcium metabolism and myocardial microscopic structure and function, it serves the pediatric surgeon well to have a sound understanding of these principles and how they directly and indirectly affect their plans and treatments. In addition, many patients will have associated congenital heart disease that can also dramatically influence not only the surgical and anesthetic care but also the timing and planning of procedures. Finally, the pediatric surgeon is often called upon to treat conditions and complications associated with complex congenital heart disease such as feeding difficulties, bowel perforations, and malrotation in heterotaxy syndromes. In this article, we will review several unique aspects of neonatal cardiac physiology along with the basic physiology of the major groups of congenital heart disease to better prepare the training and practicing pediatric surgeon for care of these complex and often fragile patients.

A new module, Guided Ligand Replacement (GLR), has been developed in Phenix to increase the ease and success rate of ligand placement when prior protein-ligand complexes are available. The process of iterative structure-based drug design involves the X-ray crystal structure determination of upwards of 100 ligands with the same general scaffold (i.e. chemotype) complexed with very similar, if not identical, protein targets. In conjunction with insights from computational models and assays, this collection of crystal structures is analyzed to improve potency, to achieve better selectivity and to reduce liabilities such as absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicology. Current methods for modeling ligands into electron-density maps typically do not utilize information on how similar ligands bound in related structures. Even if the electron density is of sufficient quality and resolution to allow de novo placement, the process can take considerable time as the size, complexity and torsional degrees of freedom of the ligands increase. A new module, Guided Ligand Replacement (GLR), was developed in Phenix to increase the ease and success rate of ligand placement when prior protein–ligand complexes are available. At the heart of GLR is an algorithm based on graph theory that associates atoms in the target ligand with analogous atoms in the reference ligand. Based on this correspondence, a set of coordinates is generated for the target ligand. GLR is especially useful in two situations: (i) modeling a series of large, flexible, complicated or macrocyclic ligands in successive structures and (ii) modeling ligands as part of a refinement pipeline that can automatically select a reference structure. Even in those cases for which no reference structure is available, if there are multiple copies of the bound ligand per asymmetric unit GLR offers an efficient way to complete the model after the first ligand has been placed. In all of these applications, GLR

The concentration of nanoparticles in solution is an important, yet challenging, parameter to quantify. In this work, a facile strategy for the determination of nanoparticle concentration is presented. The method relies on the quantitative analysis of the inherent distribution of nanoparticle-ligand conjugates that are generated when nanoparticles are functionalized with ligands. Validation of the method was accomplished by applying it to gold nanoparticles and semiconductor nanoparticles (CdSe/ZnS; core/shell). Poly(ethylene glycol) based ligands, with functional groups that quantitatively react with the nanoparticles, were incubated with the nanoparticles at varying equivalences. Agarose gel electrophoresis was subsequently used to separate and quantify the nanoparticle-ligand conjugates of varying valences. The distribution in the nanoparticle-ligand conjugates agreed well with that predicted by the Poisson model. A protocol was then developed, where a series of only eight different ligand amounts could provide an estimate of the nanoparticle concentration that spans 3 orders of magnitude (1 μM to 1 mM). For the gold nanoparticles and semiconductor nanoparticles, the measured concentrations were found to deviate by only 7% and 2%, respectively, from those determined by UV-vis spectroscopy. The precision of the assay was evaluated, resulting in a coefficient of variation of 5-7%. Finally, the protocol was used to determine the extinction coefficient of alloyed semiconductor nanoparticles (CdSxSe1-x/ZnS), for which a reliable estimate is currently unavailable, of three different emission wavelengths (525, 575, and 630 nm). The extinction coefficient of the nanoparticles of all emission wavelengths was similar and was found to be 2.1 × 10(5) M(-1)cm(-1).

δ-Opioid receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors that regulate nociceptive and emotional responses. It has been well established that distinct agonists acting at the same G-protein-coupled receptor can engage different signaling or regulatory responses. This concept, known as biased agonism, has important biological and therapeutic implications. Ligand-biased responses are well described in cellular models, however, demonstrating the physiological relevance of biased agonism in vivo remains a major challenge. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term consequences of ligand-biased trafficking of the δ-opioid receptor, at both the cellular and behavioral level. We used δ agonists with similar binding and analgesic properties, but high [SNC80 ((+)-4-[(αR)-α-((2S,5R)-4-allyl-2,5-dimethyl-1-piperazinyl)-3-methoxybenzyl]-N,N-diethylbenzamide)]- or low [ARM390 (N,N-diethyl-4-(phenyl-piperidin-4-ylidenemethyl)-benzamide)]-internalization potencies. As we found previously, a single SNC80-but not ARM390-administration triggered acute desensitization of the analgesic response in mice. However, daily injections of either compound over 5 d produced full analgesic tolerance. SNC80-tolerant animals showed widespread receptor downregulation, and tolerance to analgesic, locomotor and anxiolytic effects of the agonist. Hence, internalization-dependent tolerance developed, as a result of generalized receptor degradation. In contrast, ARM390-tolerant mice showed intact receptor expression, but δ-opioid receptor coupling to Ca²+ channels was abolished in dorsal root ganglia. Concomitantly, tolerance developed for agonist-induced analgesia, but not locomotor or anxiolytic responses. Therefore, internalization-independent tolerance was produced by anatomically restricted adaptations leading to pain-specific tolerance. Hence, ligand-directed receptor trafficking of the δ-opioid receptor engages distinct adaptive responses, and this study reveals a novel aspect of

Full Text Available Serotonin (5-HT is a monoamine neurotransmitter that plays an important role in physiological functions. 5-HT has been implicated in sleep, feeding, sexual behavior, temperature regulation, pain, and cognition as well as in pathological states including disorders connected to mood, anxiety, psychosis and pain. 5-HT1A receptors have for a long time been considered as an interesting target for the action of antidepressant drugs. It was postulated that postsynaptic 5-HT1A agonists could form a new class of antidepressant drugs, and mixed 5-HT1A receptor ligands/serotonin transporter (SERT inhibitors seem to possess an interesting pharmacological profile. It should, however, be noted that 5-HT1A receptors can activate several different biochemical pathways and signal through both G protein-dependent and G protein-independent pathways. The variables that affect the multiplicity of 5-HT1A receptor signaling pathways would thus result from the summation of effects specific to the host cell milieu. Moreover, receptor trafficking appears different at pre- and postsynaptic sites. It should also be noted that the 5-HT1A receptor cooperates with other signal transduction systems (like the 5-HT1B or 5-HT2A/2B/2C receptors, the GABAergic and the glutaminergic systems, which also contribute to its antidepressant and/or anxiolytic activity. Thus identifying brain specific molecular targets for 5-HT1A receptor ligands may result in a better targeting, raising a hope for more effective medicines for various pathologies.

@@ The asymmetric addition of alkynylzinc to aldehydes is an important method of synthesizing chiral propargyl alcohols, which are important precursors to many chiral organic compounds. Recently, many significant chiral ligands in this area have been disclosed.[1] Use of a short peptide as a catalyst would allow expansion beyond the (still uncharted) repertoire of single amino acids, while conserving the advantages of a small molecule catalyst. To the best of our knowledge,no results of peptide derivatives as chiral ligands in this reaction has been disclosed to date.[2] Herein, we report the initial results of peptide derivatives, which have been used directly as a chiral ligand in this reaction (Scheme 1).

The surface chemistry of colloidal quantum dots (QDs) plays an important role in determining the photoelectric properties of QD films and the corresponding quantum dot heterojunction solar cells (QDHSCs). To investigate the effects of the ligand structure on the photovoltaic performance and exciton dynamics of QDHSCs, PbS QDHSCs were fabricated by the solid state ligand exchange method with mercaptoalkanoic acid as the cross-linking ligand. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence and ultrafast transient absorption spectra show that the electronic coupling and charge transfer rate within QD ensembles were monotonically enhanced as the ligand length decreased. However, in practical QDHSCs, the second shortest ligand 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) showed higher power conversion efficiency than the shortest ligand thioglycolic acid (TGA). This could be attributed to the difference in their surface trap states, supported by thermally stimulated current measurements. Moreover, compared with the non-conjugated ligand MPA, the conjugated ligand 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA) introduces less trap states and has a similar charge transfer rate in QD ensembles, but has poor photovoltaic properties. This unexpected result could be contributed by the QD-ligand orbital mixing, leading to the charge transfer from QDs to ligands instead of charge transfer between adjacent QDs. This work highlights the significant effects of ligand structures on the photovoltaic properties and exciton dynamics of QDHSCs, which would shed light on the further development of QD-based photoelectric devices.

Weakly electric gymnotiform and mormyrid fish generate and detect weak electric fields to image their worlds and communicate. These multi-purpose electric signals are generated by electrocytes, the specialized electric organ (EO) cells that produce the electric organ discharge (EOD). Just over 50 years ago the first experimental analyses of electrocyte physiology demonstrated that the EOD is produced and shaped by the timing and waveform of electrocyte action potentials (APs). Electrocytes of some species generate a single AP from a distinct region of excitable membrane, and this AP waveform determines EOD waveform. In other species, electrocytes possess two independent regions of excitable membrane that generate asynchronous APs with different waveforms, thereby increasing EOD complexity. Signal complexity is further enhanced in some gymnotiforms by the spatio-temporal activation of distinct EO regions with different electrocyte properties. For many mormyrids, additional EOD waveform components are produced by APs that propagate along stalks that connect postsynaptic regions to the main body of the electrocyte. I review here the history of research on electrocyte physiology in weakly electric fish, as well as recent discoveries of key phenomena not anticipated during early work in this field. Recent areas of investigation include the regulation of electrocyte activity by steroid and peptide hormones, the molecular evolution of electrocyte ion channels, and the evolutionary selection of ion channels expressed in excitable cells. These emerging research areas have generated renewed interest in electrocyte function and clear future directions for research addressing a broad range of new and important questions.

The glycemic index (GI) is a physiological assessment of a food's carbohydrate content through its effect on postprandial blood glucose concentrations. Evidence from trials and observational studies suggests that this physiological classification may have relevance to those chronic Western diseases associated with overconsumption and inactivity leading to central obesity and insulin resistance. The glycemic index classification of foods has been used as a tool to assess potential prevention and treatment strategies for diseases where glycemic control is of importance, such as diabetes. Low GI diets have also been reported to improve the serum lipid profile, reduce C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations, and aid in weight control. In cross-sectional studies, low GI or glycemic load diets (mean GI multiplied by total carbohydrate) have been associated with higher levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), with reduced CRP concentrations, and, in cohort studies, with decreased risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In addition, some case-control and cohort studies have found positive associations between dietary GI and risk of various cancers, including those of the colon, breast, and prostate. Although inconsistencies in the current findings still need to be resolved, sufficient positive evidence, especially with respect to renewed interest in postprandial events, suggests that the glycemic index may have a role to play in the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases.

Full Text Available The 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO is highly 0conserved in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Since its discovery in 1977, numerous studies established the TSPO’s importance for life essential functions. For these studies, synthetic TSPO ligands typically are applied. Tetrapyrroles present endogenous ligands for the TSPO. Tetrapyrroles are also evolutionarily conserved and regulate multiple functions. TSPO and tetrapyrroles regulate each other. In animals TSPO-tetrapyrrole interactions range from effects on embryonic development to metabolism, programmed cell death, response to stress, injury and disease, and even to life span extension. In animals TSPOs are primarily located in mitochondria. In plants TSPOs are also present in plastids, the nuclear fraction, the endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi stacks. This may contribute to translocation of tetrapyrrole intermediates across organelles’ membranes. As in animals, plant TSPO binds heme and protoporphyrin IX. TSPO-tetrapyrrole interactions in plants appear to relate to development as well as stress conditions, including salt tolerance, abscisic acid-induced stress, reactive oxygen species homeostasis, and finally cell death regulation. In bacteria, TSPO is important for switching from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism, including the regulation of photosynthesis. As in mitochondria, in bacteria TSPO is located in the outer membrane. TSPO-tetrapyrrole interactions may be part of the establishment of the bacterial-eukaryote relationships, i.e., mitochondrial-eukaryote and plastid-plant endosymbiotic relationships.

The 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) is highly 0conserved in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Since its discovery in 1977, numerous studies established the TSPO's importance for life essential functions. For these studies, synthetic TSPO ligands typically are applied. Tetrapyrroles present endogenous ligands for the TSPO. Tetrapyrroles are also evolutionarily conserved and regulate multiple functions. TSPO and tetrapyrroles regulate each other. In animals TSPO-tetrapyrrole interactions range from effects on embryonic development to metabolism, programmed cell death, response to stress, injury and disease, and even to life span extension. In animals TSPOs are primarily located in mitochondria. In plants TSPOs are also present in plastids, the nuclear fraction, the endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi stacks. This may contribute to translocation of tetrapyrrole intermediates across organelles' membranes. As in animals, plant TSPO binds heme and protoporphyrin IX. TSPO-tetrapyrrole interactions in plants appear to relate to development as well as stress conditions, including salt tolerance, abscisic acid-induced stress, reactive oxygen species homeostasis, and finally cell death regulation. In bacteria, TSPO is important for switching from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism, including the regulation of photosynthesis. As in mitochondria, in bacteria TSPO is located in the outer membrane. TSPO-tetrapyrrole interactions may be part of the establishment of the bacterial-eukaryote relationships, i.e., mitochondrial-eukaryote and plastid-plant endosymbiotic relationships.

Full Text Available Ghrelin is a gastric peptide hormone, discovered as being the endogenous ligand of growth hormone secretagogue receptor. Ghrelin is a 28 amino acid peptide presenting a unique n-octanoylation modification on its serine in position 3, catalyzed by ghrelin O-acyl transferase. Ghrelin is mainly produced by a subset of stomach cells and also by the hypothalamus, the pituitary, and other tissues. Transcriptional, translational, and posttranslational processes generate ghrelin and ghrelin-related peptides. Homo- and heterodimers of growth hormone secretagogue receptor, and as yet unidentified receptors, are assumed to mediate the biological effects of acyl ghrelin and desacyl ghrelin, respectively. Ghrelin exerts wide physiological actions throughout the body, including growth hormone secretion, appetite and food intake, gastric secretion and gastrointestinal motility, glucose homeostasis, cardiovascular functions, anti-inflammatory functions, reproductive functions, and bone formation. This review focuses on presenting the current understanding of ghrelin and growth hormone secretagogue receptor biology, as well as the main physiological effects of ghrelin.

Full Text Available Neurological glutamate receptors bind a variety of artificial ligands, both agonistic and antagonistic, in addition to glutamate. Studying their small molecule binding properties increases our understanding of the central nervous system and a variety of associated pathologies. The large, oligomeric multidomain membrane protein contains a large and flexible ligand binding domains which undergoes large conformational changes upon binding different ligands. A recent application of glutamate receptors is their activation or inhibition via photo-switchable ligands, making them key systems in the emerging field of optochemical genetics. In this work, we present a theoretical study on the binding mode and complex stability of a novel photo-switchable ligand, ATA-3, which reversibly binds to glutamate receptors ligand binding domains (LBDs. We propose two possible binding modes for this ligand based on flexible ligand docking calculations and show one of them to be analogues to the binding mode of a similar ligand, 2-BnTetAMPA. In long MD simulations, it was observed that transitions between both binding poses involve breaking and reforming the T686-E402 protein hydrogen bond. Simulating the ligand photo-isomerization process shows that the two possible configurations of the ligand azo-group have markedly different complex stabilities and equilibrium binding modes. A strong but slow protein response is observed after ligand configuration changes. This provides a microscopic foundation for the observed difference in ligand activity upon light-switching.

Aluminoses are widespread forms of trace element deficiency of various severity. The organism is protected against a possible pathogenic influence of aluminum by a number of physiological mechanisms the most important among which is a regular urine excretion. A complex of pathological symptoms develops if serious homeostasis disturbances take place e. g. when renal deficiency or direct penetration of the trace element occur. The following forms of aluminosis should be distinguished: 1) simple accumulation in central nervous system which occurs in persons over 65 years; 2) aluminum accumulation in Alzheimer disease, in severe form of presenile and senile dementia; 3) dialysis aluminum encephalopathy; 4) non-dialysis infantile encephalopathy; 5) aluminum encephalopathy in total parenteral nutrition; 6) iatrogenic dialysis aluminum osteodystrophy; 7) jatrogenic peritoneal aluminosis; 8) aluminum pneumoconiosis of an occupational origin; 9) bronchospastic syndrome in aluminum smelter workers.

Galectin-1 (Gal-1), a β-galactoside-binding lectin, plays a profound role in modulating adaptive immune responses by altering the phenotype and fate of T cells. Experimental data showing recombinant Gal-1 (rGal-1) efficacy on T cell viability and cytokine production, nevertheless, is controversial due to the necessity of using stabilizing chemicals to help retain Gal-1 structure and function. To address this drawback, we developed a mouse Gal-1 human Ig chimera (Gal-1hFc) that did not need chemical stabilization for Gal-1 ligand recognition, apoptosis induction, and cytokine modulation in a variety of leukocyte models. At high concentrations, Gal-1hFc induced apoptosis in Gal-1 ligand(+) Th1 and Th17 cells, leukemic cells, and granulocytes from synovial fluids of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Importantly, at low, more physiologic concentrations, Gal-1hFc retained its homodimeric form without losing functionality. Not only did Gal-1hFc-binding trigger IL-10 and Th2 cytokine expression in activated T cells, but members of the CD28 family and several other immunomodulatory molecules were upregulated. In a mouse model of contact hypersensitivity, we found that a non-Fc receptor-binding isoform of Gal-1hFc, Gal-1hFc2, alleviated T cell-dependent inflammation by increasing IL-4(+), IL-10(+), TGF-β(+), and CD25(high)/FoxP3(+) T cells, and by decreasing IFN-γ(+) and IL-17(+) T cells. Moreover, in human skin-resident T cell cultures, Gal-1hFc diminished IL-17(+) T cells and increased IL-4(+) and IL-10(+) T cells. Gal-1hFc will not only be a useful new tool for investigating the role of Gal-1 ligands in leukocyte death and cytokine stimulation, but for studying how Gal-1-Gal-1 ligand binding shapes the intensity of immune responses.

Experimental approaches to detect, measure, and quantify protein-ligand binding, along with their theoretical bases, are described. A range of methods for detection of protein-ligand interactions is summarized. Specific protocols are provided for a nonequilibrium procedure pull-down assay, for an equilibrium direct binding method and its modification into a competition-based measurement and for steady-state measurements based on the effects of ligands on enzyme catalysis.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are known to initiate a plethora of signaling pathways in vitro. However, it is unclear which of these pathways are engaged to mediate physiological responses. Here, we examine the distinct roles of Gq/11-dependent signaling and receptor phosphorylation-dependent signaling in bronchial airway contraction and lung function regulated through the M3-muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M3-mAChR). By using a genetically engineered mouse expressing a G protein-biased M3-mAChR mutant, we reveal the first evidence, to our knowledge, of a role for M3-mAChR phosphorylation in bronchial smooth muscle contraction in health and in a disease state with relevance to human asthma. Furthermore, this mouse model can be used to distinguish the physiological responses that are regulated by M3-mAChR phosphorylation (which include control of lung function) from those responses that are downstream of G protein signaling. In this way, we present an approach by which to predict the physiological/therapeutic outcome of M3-mAChR-biased ligands with important implications for drug discovery.

Six silver(I) coordination complexes have been prepared and structurally characterised. Mixed chalcogen-donor acenaphthene ligands L1-L3 [Acenap(EPh)(E'Ph)] (Acenap = acenaphthene-5,6-diyl; E/E' = S, Se, Te) were independently treated with silver(I) salts (AgBF₄/AgOTf). In order to keep the number of variables to a minimum, all reactions were carried out using a 1:1 ratio of Ag/L and run in dichloromethane. The nature of the donor atoms, the coordinating ability of the respective counter-anion and the type of solvent used in recrystallisation, all affect the structural architecture of the final silver(I) complex, generating monomeric, silver(I) complexes {[AgBF₄(L)₂] (1 L = L1; 2 L = L2; 3 L = L3), [AgOTf(L)₃] (4 L = L1; 5 L = L3), [AgBF₄(L)₃] (2a L = L1; 3a L = L3)} and a 1D polymeric chain {[AgOTf(L3)](n) 6}. The organic acenaphthene ligands L1-L3 adopt a number of ligation modes (bis-monodentate μ₂-η²-bridging, quasi-chelating combining monodentate and η⁶-E(phenyl)-Ag(I) and classical monodentate coordination) with the central silver atom at the centre of a tetrahedral or trigonal planar coordination geometry in each case. The importance of weak interactions in the formation of metal-organic structures is also highlighted by the number of short non-covalent contacts present within each complex.

Full Text Available Six silver(I coordination complexes have been prepared and structurally characterised. Mixed chalcogen-donor acenaphthene ligands L1–L3 [Acenap(EPh(E'Ph] (Acenap = acenaphthene-5,6-diyl; E/E' = S, Se, Te were independently treated with silver(I salts (AgBF4/AgOTf. In order to keep the number of variables to a minimum, all reactions were carried out using a 1:1 ratio of Ag/L and run in dichloromethane. The nature of the donor atoms, the coordinating ability of the respective counter-anion and the type of solvent used in recrystallisation, all affect the structural architecture of the final silver(I complex, generating monomeric, silver(I complexes {[AgBF4(L2] (1 L = L1; 2 L = L2; 3 L = L3, [AgOTf(L3] (4 L = L1; 5 L = L3, [AgBF4(L3] (2a L = L1; 3a L = L3} and a 1D polymeric chain {[AgOTf(L3]n 6}. The organic acenaphthene ligands L1-L3 adopt a number of ligation modes (bis-monodentate μ2-η2-bridging, quasi-chelating combining monodentate and η6-E(phenyl-Ag(I and classical monodentate coordination with the central silver atom at the centre of a tetrahedral or trigonal planar coordination geometry in each case. The importance of weak interactions in the formation of metal-organic structures is also highlighted by the number of short non-covalent contacts present within each complex.

Different classes of Peripheral-type Benzodiazepine Receptor (PBR) ligands were examined and common structural elements were detected and used to develop a rational binding model based on energetically allowed ligand conformations. Two lipophilic regions and one electrostatic interaction site are essential features for high affinity ligand binding, while a further lipophilic region plays an important modulator role. A comparative molecular field analysis, performed over 130 PBR ligands by means of the GRID/GOLPE methodology, led to a PLS model with both high fitting and predictive values (r2 = 0.898, Q2 = 0.761). The outcome from the 3D QSAR model and the GRID interaction fields computed on the putative endogenous PBR ligands DBI (Diazepam Binding Inhibitor) and TTN (Tetracontatetraneuropeptide) was used to identify the amino acids most probably involved in PBR binding. Three amino acids, bearing lipophilic side chains, were detected in DBI (Phe49, Leu47 and Met46) and in TTN (Phe33, Leu31 and Met30) as likely residues underlying receptor binding. Moreover, a qualitative comparison of the molecular electrostatic potentials of DBI, TTN and selected synthetic ligands indicated also similar electronic properties. Convergent results from the modeling studies of synthetic and endogenous ligands suggest a common binding mode to PBRs. This may help the rational design of new high affinity PBR ligands.

Nuclear receptors (NRs) constitute an important class of therapeutic targets. We evaluated the performance of 3D structure-based and ligand-based pharmacophore models in predicting the pharmacological profile of NRs ligands using the NRLiSt BDB database. We could generate selective pharmacophores for agonist and antagonist ligands and we found that the best performances were obtained by combining the structure-based and the ligand-based approaches. The combination of pharmacophores that were generated allowed to cover most of the chemical space of the NRLiSt BDB datasets. By screening the whole NRLiSt BDB on our 3D pharmacophores, we demonstrated their selectivity towards their dedicated NRs ligands. The 3D pharmacophores herein presented can thus be used as a predictor of the pharmacological activity of NRs ligands.Graphical AbstractUsing a combination of structure-based and ligand-based pharmacophores, agonist and antagonist ligands of the Nuclear Receptors included in the NRLiSt BDB database could be separated.

To investigate the influence of hydrogen bonds and secondary ligands on the structures and properties of the resulting frameworks, five new Co(II) compounds have been synthesized by the reactions of Co(II) salts and 3,5-bis(pyridin-4-ylmethoxy)benzoic acid (HL) with four rationally selected dicarboxylic acid ligands. Without secondary ligand, we got one compound [CoL{sub 2}(H{sub 2}O){sub 2}]{sub n}·2nH{sub 2}O (1), which possesses a 1D chain structure. In the presence of ancillary ligands, namely, 1,3-adamantanedicarboxylic acid (H{sub 2}adbc), terephthalic acid (H{sub 2}tpa), thiophene-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (H{sub 2}tdc) and 1,4-benzenedithioacetic acid (H{sub 2}bdtc), four 3D structures [Co{sub 2}L{sub 2}(adbc)]{sub n}·nH{sub 2}O (2), [Co{sub 2}L{sub 2}(tpa)]{sub n} (3), [Co{sub 2}L{sub 2}(tdc)]{sub n} (4), [Co{sub 2}L{sub 2}(bdtc)(H{sub 2}O)]{sub n} (5) were obtained, respectively. It can be observed from the architectures of 1–5 that hydrogen bonds and secondary ligands both have great effects on the spatial connective fashions, resulting in the formation of various dimensional compounds. The XRPD, TGA data of title polymers and the magnetic properties for 2 and 5 have also been investigated. - Graphical abstract: The structural differences show that the ancillary ligands have great effects on the spatial connective fashions, resulting in the formation of various dimensional compounds. - Highlights: • Five new Co(II) coordination polymers have been synthesized by solvothermal reactions based on 3,5-bis(pyridin-4-ylmethoxy)benzoic acid (HL). • The long-flexible ligand (HL) is a good candidate to produce interpenetrating architectures. • The secondary dicarboxylic acid ligands play important roles in the spatial connective fashions and the formation of various dimensional compounds. • The magnetism studies show that both 2 and 5 exhibit antiferromagnetic interactions.

The formation of bile depends on the structural and functional integrity of the bile-secretory apparatus and its impairment,in different situations,results in the syndrome of cholestasis.The structural bases that permit bile secretion as well as various aspects related with its composition and flow rate in physiological conditions will first be reviewed.Canalicular bile is produced by polarized hepatocytes that hold transporters in their basolateral (sinusoidal) and apical (canalicular) plasma membrane.This review summarizes recent data on the molecular determinants of this primary bile formation.The major function of the biliary tree is modification of canalicular bile by secretory and reabsorptive processes in bileduct epithelial cells (cholangiocytes) as bile passes through bile ducts.The mechanisms of fluid and solute transport in cholangiocytes will also be discussed.In contrast to hepatocytes where secretion is constant and poorly controlled,cholangiocyte secretion is regulated by hormones and nerves.A short section dedicated to these regulatory mechanisms of bile secretion has been included.The aim of this revision was to set the bases for other reviews in this series that will be devoted to specific issues related with biliary physiology and pathology.

Full Text Available Evaluation of statistical distribution of physiological responses is of fundamental importance for better statistical interpretation of physiological phenomenon. In this paper, statistical distribution of three importantphysiological responses viz., maximal aerobic power (VO2 max, maximal heart rate (HR max and maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV in young healthy Indian males of age ranging from 19 to 22 years have been worked out. It is concluded that these three importantphysiological responses follow the lognormal distribution.

Full Text Available The Notch pathway is a core cell-cell signaling system in metazoan organisms with key roles in cell-fate determination, stem cell maintenance, immune system activation, and angiogenesis. Signals are initiated by extracellular interactions of the Notch receptor with Delta/Serrate/Lag-2 (DSL ligands, whose structure is highly conserved throughout evolution. To date, no structure or activity has been associated with the extreme N termini of the ligands, even though numerous mutations in this region of Jagged-1 ligand lead to human disease. Here, we demonstrate that the N terminus of human Jagged-1 is a C2 phospholipid recognition domain that binds phospholipid bilayers in a calcium-dependent fashion. Furthermore, we show that this activity is shared by a member of the other class of Notch ligands, human Delta-like-1, and the evolutionary distant Drosophila Serrate. Targeted mutagenesis of Jagged-1 C2 domain residues implicated in calcium-dependent phospholipid binding leaves Notch interactions intact but can reduce Notch activation. These results reveal an important and previously unsuspected role for phospholipid recognition in control of this key signaling system.

Full Text Available This paper reviews the use of confocal microscopy as it pertains to the identification of G-protein coupled receptors and the study of their dynamic properties in cell cultures and in mammalian brain following their tagging with specific fluorescent ligands. Principles that should guide the choice of suitable ligands and fluorophores are discussed. Examples are provided from the work carried out in the authors' laboratory using custom synthetized fluoresceinylated or BODIPY-tagged bioactive peptides. The results show that confocal microscopic detection of specifically bound fluorescent ligands permits high resolution appraisal of neuropeptide receptor distribution both in cell culture and in brain sections. Within the framework of time course experiments, it also allows for a dynamic assessment of the internalization and subsequent intracellular trafficking of bound fluorescent molecules. Thus, it was found that neurotensin, somatostatin and mu- and delta-selective opioid peptides are internalized in a receptor-dependent fashion and according to receptor-specific patterns into their target cells. In the case of neurotensin, this internalization process was found to be clathrin-mediated, to proceed through classical endosomal pathways and, in neurons, to result in a mobilization of newly formed endosomes from neural processes to nerve cell bodies and from the periphery of cell bodies towards the perinuclear zone. These mechanisms are likely to play an important role for ligand inactivation, receptor regulation and perhaps also transmembrane signaling.

This article provides a comprehensive review of dehydration assessment and presents a unique evaluation of the dehydration and performance literature. The importance of osmolality and volume are emphasized when discussing the physiology, assessment, and performance effects of dehydration. The underappreciated physiologic distinction between a loss of hypo-osmotic body water (intracellular dehydration) and an iso-osmotic loss of body water (extracellular dehydration) is presented and argued as the single most essential aspect of dehydration assessment. The importance of diagnostic and biological variation analyses to dehydration assessment methods is reviewed and their use in gauging the true potential of any dehydration assessment method highlighted. The necessity for establishing proper baselines is discussed, as is the magnitude of dehydration required to elicit reliable and detectable osmotic or volume-mediated compensatory physiologic responses. The discussion of physiologic responses further helps inform and explain our analysis of the literature suggesting a ≥ 2% dehydration threshold for impaired endurance exercise performance mediated by volume loss. In contrast, no clear threshold or plausible mechanism(s) support the marginal, but potentially important, impairment in strength, and power observed with dehydration. Similarly, the potential for dehydration to impair cognition appears small and related primarily to distraction or discomfort. The impact of dehydration on any particular sport skill or task is therefore likely dependent upon the makeup of the task itself (e.g., endurance, strength, cognitive, and motor skill).

MAS is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) implicated in multiple physiological processes. Several physiological peptide ligands such as angiotensin-(1-7), angiotensin fragments and neuropeptide FF (NPFF) are reported to act on MAS. Studies of conventional G protein signaling and receptor desensitization upon stimulation of MAS with the peptide ligands are limited so far. Therefore, we systematically analyzed G protein signals activated by the peptide ligands. MAS-selective non-peptide ligands that were previously shown to activate G proteins were used as controls for comparison on a common cell based assay platform. Activation of MAS by the non-peptide agonist (1) increased intracellular calcium and D-myo-inositol-1-phosphate (IP1) levels which are indicative of the activation of classical Gαq-phospholipase C signaling pathways, (2) decreased Gαi mediated cAMP levels and (3) stimulated Gα12-dependent expression of luciferase reporter. In all these assays, MAS exhibited strong constitutive activity that was inhibited by the non-peptide inverse agonist. Further, in the calcium response assay, MAS was resistant to stimulation by a second dose of the non-peptide agonist after the first activation has waned suggesting functional desensitization. In contrast, activation of MAS by the peptide ligand NPFF initiated a rapid rise in intracellular calcium with very weak IP1 accumulation which is unlike classical Gαq-phospholipase C signaling pathway. NPFF only weakly stimulated MAS-mediated activation of Gα12 and Gαi signaling pathways. Furthermore, unlike non-peptide agonist-activated MAS, NPFF-activated MAS could be readily re-stimulated the second time by the agonists. Functional assays with key ligand binding MAS mutants suggest that NPFF and non-peptide ligands bind to overlapping regions. Angiotensin-(1-7) and other angiotensin fragments weakly potentiated an NPFF-like calcium response at non-physiological concentrations (≥100 µM). Overall, our data suggest

Full Text Available Results from this exploratory clinical study indicate that financial anxiety—holding an unhealthy attitude about one’s financial situation—and physiological arousal—the physical precursor to behavior—play important roles in shaping consumer intention to engage in future financial planning activity. Findings suggest that those who are most likely to engage the services of a financial adviser exhibit low levels of financial anxiety and moderate to high levels of physiological arousal. The least likely to seek the help of a financial adviser are those who exhibit high financial anxiety and low physiological arousal. Results support findings documented in the literature that high anxiety levels often lead to a form of self-imposed helplessness. In order to move those experiencing financial anxiety towards financial solutions, financial advisers ought to take steps to simultaneously reduce financial stressors and stimulate arousal as a way to promote behavioral change and help seeking.

The human organism is an integrated network of interconnected and interacting organ systems, each representing a separate regulatory network. The behavior of one physiological system (network) may affect the dynamics of all other systems in the network of physiologic networks. Due to these interactions, failure of one system can trigger a cascade of failures throughout the entire network. We introduce a systematic method to identify a network of interactions between diverse physiologic organ systems, to quantify the hierarchical structure and dynamics of this network, and to track its evolution under different physiologic states. We find a robust relation between network structure and physiologic states: every state is characterized by specific network topology, node connectivity and links strength. Further, we find that transitions from one physiologic state to another trigger a markedly fast reorganization in the network of physiologic interactions on time scales of just a few minutes, indicating high network flexibility in response to perturbations. This reorganization in network topology occurs simultaneously and globally in the entire network as well as at the level of individual physiological systems, while preserving a hierarchical order in the strength of network links. Our findings highlight the need of an integrated network approach to understand physiologic function, since the framework we develop provides new information which can not be obtained by studying individual systems. The proposed system-wide integrative approach may facilitate the development of a new field, Network Physiology.

Water molecules are known to play an important rôle in mediating protein-ligand interactions. If water molecules are conserved at the ligand-binding sites of homologous proteins, such a finding may suggest the structural importance of water molecules in ligand binding. Structurally conserved water molecules change the conventional definition of 'binding sites' by changing the shape and complementarity of these sites. Such conserved water molecules can be important for site-directed ligand/drug design. Therefore, five different sets of homologous protein/protein-ligand complexes have been examined to identify the conserved water molecules at the ligand-binding sites. Our analysis reveals that there are as many as 16 conserved water molecules at the FAD binding site of glutathione reductase between the crystal structures obtained from human and E. coli. In the remaining four sets of high-resolution crystal structures, 2-4 water molecules have been found to be conserved at the ligand-binding sites. The majority of these conserved water molecules are either bound in deep grooves at the protein-ligand interface or completely buried in cavities between the protein and the ligand. All these water molecules, conserved between the protein/protein-ligand complexes from different species, have identical or similar apolar and polar interactions in a given set. The site residues interacting with the conserved water molecules at the ligand-binding sites have been found to be highly conserved among proteins from different species; they are more conserved compared to the other site residues interacting with the ligand. These water molecules, in general, make multiple polar contacts with protein-site residues.

A new tropos ligand with an integrated anion receptor receptor site has been prepared. Chiral carboxylate and phosphate anions that bind in the anion receptor unit proved capable of stabilizing chiral conformations of the achiral flexible bidentate biaryl phosphite ligand, as shown by variable

The docking of ligands to proteins can be formulated as a computational problem where the task is to find the most favorable energetic conformation among the large space of possible protein–ligand complexes. Stochastic search methods such as evolutionary algorithms (EAs) can be used to sample large...

the most favorable energetic conformation among the large space of possible protein-ligand complexes. Stochastic search methods, such as evolutionary algorithms (EAs), can be used to sample large search spaces effectively and is one of the preferred methods for flexible ligand docking. The differential...

The mono-anionic beta-diiminate ligand (ArNC(CH3)CHC(CH3)NAr) on several previous occasions proved useful in stabilising low coordination numbers for both early and late transition metals. In this thesis the reactivity of the rhodium olefin complexes of one of these beta-diiminate ligands (Ar = 2,6-

Metathesis is introduced as a preparative route to terminal carbide complexes. The chloride ligands of the terminal carbide complex [RuC(Cl)2(PCy3)2] (RuC) can be exchanged, paving the way for a systematic variation of the ligand sphere. A series of substituted complexes, including the first exam...

Multivalent interactions are characterized by the simultaneous binding between multiple ligands and multiple binding sites, either in solutions or at interfaces. In biological systems, most multivalent interactions occur between protein receptors and carbohydrate ligands through hydrogen-bonding and hydrophobic interactions. Compared with weak affinity binding between one ligand and one binding site, i.e. monovalent interaction, multivalent interactioins provide greater avidity and specificity, and therefore play unique roles in a broad range of biological activities. Moreover, the studies of multivalent interactions are also essential for producing effective inhibitors and effectors of biological processes that could have important therapeutic applications. Synthetic multivalent ligands have been designed to mimic the biological functions of natural multivalent interactions, and various types of scaffolds have been used to display multiple ligands, including small molecules, linear polymers, dendrimers, nanoparticle surfaces, monolayer surfaces and liposomes. Studies have shown that multivalent interactions can be highly affected by various architectural parameters of these multivalent ligands, including ligand identities, valencies, spacing, ligand densities, nature of linker arms, scaffold length and scaffold conformation. Most of these multivalent ligands are chemically synthesized and have limitations of controlling over sequence and conformation, which is a barrier for mimicking ordered and controlled natural biological systems. Therefore, multivalent ligands with precisely controlled architecture are required for improved structure-function relationship studies. Protein engineering methods with subsequent chemical coupling of ligands provide significant advantages of controlling over backbone conformation and functional group placement, and therefore have been used to synthesize recombinant protein-based materials with desired properties similar to natural

Iron is a limiting nutrient for primary production in marine systems, and photochemical processes play a significant role in the upper ocean biogeochemical cycling of this key element. In recent years, progress has been made toward understanding the role of biologically produced organic ligands in controlling the speciation and photochemical redox cycling of iron in ocean surface waters. Most (>99%) of the dissolved iron in seawater is now known to be associated with strong organic ligands. New data concerning the structure and photochemical reactivity of strong Fe(III) binding ligands (siderophores) produced by pelagic marine bacteria suggest that direct photolysis via ligand-to-metal charge transfer reactions may be an important mechanism for the production of reduced, biologically available iron (Fe[II]) in surface waters. Questions remain, however, about the importance of these processes relative to secondary photochemical reactions with photochemically produced radical species, such as superoxide (O2-). The mechanism of superoxide-mediated reduction of Fe(III) in the presence of strong Fe(III) organic ligands is also open to debate. This review highlights recent findings, including both model ligand studies and experimentallobservational studies of the natural seawater ligand pool.

Advanced free energy perturbation molecular dynamics (FEP/MD) simulation methods are available to accurately calculate absolute binding free energies of protein-ligand complexes. However, these methods rely on several sophisticated command scripts implementing various biasing energy restraints to enhance the convergence of the FEP/MD calculations, which must all be handled properly to yield correct results. Here, we present a user-friendly Web interface, CHARMM-GUI Ligand Binder ( http://www.charmm-gui.org/input/gbinding ), to provide standardized CHARMM input files for calculations of absolute binding free energies using the FEP/MD simulations. A number of features are implemented to conveniently set up the FEP/MD simulations in highly customizable manners, thereby permitting an accelerated throughput of this important class of computations while decreasing the possibility of human errors. The interface and a series of input files generated by the interface are tested with illustrative calculations of absolute binding free energies of three nonpolar aromatic ligands to the L99A mutant of T4 lysozyme and three FK506-related ligands to FKBP12. Statistical errors within individual calculations are found to be small (~1 kcal/mol), and the calculated binding free energies generally agree well with the experimental measurements and the previous computational studies (within ~2 kcal/mol). Therefore, CHARMM-GUI Ligand Binder provides a convenient and reliable way to set up the ligand binding free energy calculations and can be applicable to pharmaceutically important protein-ligand systems.

A current trend in physiology education involves the use of clinical vignettes to demonstrate the importance of knowing normal physiology to appreciate pathophysiology. Although laudable, in effect, such tactics promote the so-called "disease" model of medicine while at the same time suggesting that the only utility for the knowledge of physiology…

A defining feature of many physiological systems is their synchrony and reciprocal influence. An important challenge, however, is how to measure such features. This paper presents two new approaches for identifying synchrony between the physiological signals of individuals in dyads. The approaches a

The possibility to control at specific times and specific places the activity of biomolecules (enzymes, transcription factors, RNA, hormones, etc.) is opening up new opportunities in the study of physiological processes at the single cell level in a live organism. Most existing gene expression systems allow for tissue specific induction upon feeding the organism with exogenous inducers (e.g., tetracycline). Local genetic control has earlier been achieved by micro-injection of the relevant inducer/repressor molecule, but this is an invasive and possibly traumatic technique. In this chapter, we present the requirements for a noninvasive optical control of the activity of biomolecules and review the recent advances in this new field of research.

In the present review, the characteristics of mammalian neuropeptides have been studied. Neuropeptides are widely distributed not only in the nervous system but also in the periphery. They are synthesised by neurons as large precursor molecules (pre propeptides) which have to be cleaved and modified in order to form the mature neuropeptides. Neuropeptides may exert actions as neurotransmitters, neuromodulators and/or neurohormones. In the neurons, they coexist with classic transmitters and often with other peptides. After their releasing, they bind to especific receptors to exert their action in the target cell. Most of these receptors belongs to a family of G protein coupled receptors. Finally, peptidases are the enzymes involved in the degradation of neuropeptides. Conclusions. In the last years, the number of known neuropeptides and the understanding of their functions have been increased. With these data, present investigations are looking for the treatment of different pathologies associated with alterations in the physiology of neuropeptides.

This book provides an introduction to qualitative and quantitative aspects of human physiology. It looks at biological and physiological processes and phenomena, including a selection of mathematical models, showing how physiological problems can be mathematically formulated and studied. It also illustrates how a wide range of engineering and physics topics, including electronics, fluid dynamics, solid mechanics and control theory can be used to describe and understand physiological processes and systems. Throughout the text there are introductions to measuring and quantifying physiological processes using both signal and imaging technologies. Physiology for Engineers describes the basic structure and models of cellular systems, the structure and function of the cardiovascular system, the electrical and mechanical activity of the heart and provides an overview of the structure and function of the respiratory and nervous systems. It also includes an introduction to the basic concepts and applications of reacti...

The human organism is an integrated network where complex physiologic systems, each with its own regulatory mechanisms, continuously interact, and where failure of one system can trigger a breakdown of the entire network. Identifying and quantifying dynamical networks of diverse systems with different types of interactions is a challenge. Here, we develop a framework to probe interactions among diverse systems, and we identify a physiologic network. We find that each physiologic state is characterized by a specific network structure, demonstrating a robust interplay between network topology and function. Across physiologic states the network undergoes topological transitions associated with fast reorganization of physiologic interactions on time scales of a few minutes, indicating high network flexibility in response to perturbations. The proposed system-wide integrative approach may facilitate the development of a new field, Network Physiology.

All enantiopure atropisomeric (atropos) ligands essentially require enantiomeric resolution or synthetic transformation from a chiral pool. In sharp contrast, the use of tropos (chirally flexible) ligands, which are highly modular, versatile, and easy to synthesize without enantiomeric resolution, has recently been the topic of much interest in asymmetric catalysis. Racemic catalysts bearing tropos ligands can be applied to asymmetric catalysis through enantiomeric discrimination by the addition of a chiral source, which preferentially transforms one catalyst enantiomer into a highly activated catalyst enantiomer. Additionally, racemic catalysts bearing tropos ligands can also be utilized as atropos enantiopure catalysts obtained via the control of chirality by a chiral source followed by the memory of chirality. In this feature article, our results on the asymmetric catalysis via the combination of various central metals and tropos ligands are summarized.

Background: Proteins have the fundamental ability to selectively bind to other molecules and perform specific functions through such interactions, such as protein-ligand binding. Accurate prediction of protein residues that physically bind to ligands is important for drug design and protein docking studies. Most of the successful protein-ligand binding predictions were based on known structures. However, structural information is not largely available in practice due to the huge gap between the number of known protein sequences and that of experimentally solved structures

The human organism is an integrated network where complex physiological systems, each with its own regulatory mechanisms, continuously interact, and where failure of one system can trigger a breakdown of the entire network. Identifying and quantifying dynamical networks of diverse systems with different types of interactions is a challenge. Here we develop a framework to probe interactions among diverse systems, and we identify a physiological network. We find that each physiological state is...

Single molecule recognition force microscopy (SMRFM) is a versatile atomic force microscopy (AFM) method to probe specific interactions of cognitive molecules on the single molecule level. It allows insights to be gained into interaction potentials and kinetic barriers and is capable of mapping interaction sites with nm positional accuracy. These applications require a ligand to be attached to the AFM tip, preferably by a distensible poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chain between the measuring tip and the ligand molecule. The PEG chain greatly facilitates specific binding of the ligand to immobile receptor sites on the sample surface. The present study contributes to tip-PEG-ligand tethering in three ways: (i) a convenient synthetic route was found to prepare NH{sub 2}-PEG-COOH which is the key intermediate for long heterobifunctional crosslinkers; (ii) a variety of heterobifunctional PEG derivatives for tip-PEG-ligand linking were prepared from NH{sub 2}-PEG-COOH; (iii) in particular, a new PEG crosslinker with one thiol-reactive end and one terminal nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) group was synthesized and successfully used to tether His{sub 6}-tagged protein molecules to AFM tips via noncovalent NTA-Ni{sup 2+}-His{sub 6} bridges. The new crosslinker was applied to link a recombinant His{sub 6}-tagged fragment of the very-low density lipoprotein receptor to the AFM tip whereupon specific docking to the capsid of human rhinovirus particles was observed by force microscopy. In a parallel study, the specific interaction of the small GTPase Ran with the nuclear import receptor importin {beta}1 was studied in detail by SMRFM, using the new crosslinker to link His{sub 6}-tagged Ran to the measuring tip [Nat. Struct. Biol. (2003), 10, 553-557].

In plant biology, calcium ions are involved in a variety of intriguing biological phenomena as a secondary messenger. However, most conventional calcium indicators are not applicable for plant cells because of the difficulty with their localization control in plant cells. We here introduce a method to monitor spatiotemporal Ca(2+) dynamics in living plant cells based on linking the synthetic calcium indicator Calcium Green-1 to a natural product-based protein ligand. In a proof-of-concept study using cultured BY-2 cells overexpressing the target protein for the ligand, the ligand-tethered probe accumulated in the cytosol and nucleus, and enabled real-time monitoring of the cytosolic and nucleus Ca(2+) dynamics under the physiological condition. The present strategy using ligand-tethered fluorescent sensors may be successfully applied to reveal the spatiotemporal dynamics of calcium ions in living plant cells.

@@ Luminescent coordination compounds with nitrogen-containing ligands have attracted much attention due to their good performance in sensor and electroluminescent device techniques[1-17]. To develop new luminescent materials, a large number of d10 metal complexes, especially zinc complexes, with the nitrogen-containing ligands have been synthesized and their luminescence behaviour have been studied[1-11]. It has been found that for a given complex, the size of the π-conjugated system of the ligand and the electronic effect of substituents at the ligand are important factors for modulating its luminescent properties[5,8,9].

Society members whose research publication during the past 125 yr had an important impact on the discipline of physiology were featured at the American Physiological Society (APS)'s 125th Anniversary symposium. The daunting and challenging task of identifying and selecting significant publications was assumed by the Steering Committee of the…

It has been long recognized that anesthesia practice is profoundly based in physiology. With the advance of the technology of imaging, measurement and information, a serious gap has emerged between anesthesia mainly handling gross systemic parameters and molecular physiology. One of the main reasons is the lack of establishment of integration approach. This special series of reviews deals with systems physiology covering respiratory, cardiovascular, and nervous systems. It also includes metabolism, and fluid, acid-base, and electrolyte balance. Each review focuses on several physiological concepts in each area, explaining current understanding and limits of the concepts based on the new findings. They reaffirm the importance of applying physiological inference in anesthesia practice and underscore the needs of advancement of systems physiology.

The postsynaptic density protein-95/disks large/zonula occludens-1 (PDZ) protein domain family is one of the most common protein-protein interaction modules in mammalian cells, with paralogs present in several hundred human proteins. PDZ domains are found in most cell types, but neuronal proteins......, for example, are particularly rich in these domains. The general function of PDZ domains is to bring proteins together within the appropriate cellular compartment, thereby facilitating scaffolding, signaling, and trafficking events. The many functions of PDZ domains under normal physiological as well...

Rh(I)-catalyzed asymmetric ring opening (ARO) of oxabenzonorbornadiene is used as a model system to qualitatively study reactions involving multiple metal-ligand interactions. The key feature of this approach is the use of product ee as an indicator to quickly gain important information such as the relative ligand binding affinity and relative reactivity of catalysts.

In ligand binding assays, the separation of bound and free fraction of the labeled ligand is very important. Dialysis is generally overlooked as separation technique since it requires large volumes and long analysis times. The availability of the ASTED-system (Automated Sequential Trace Enrichment o

Full Text Available Abstract Background A wide range of research areas in bioinformatics, molecular biology and medicinal chemistry require precise chemical structure information about molecules and reactions, e.g. drug design, ligand docking, metabolic network reconstruction, and systems biology. Most available databases, however, treat chemical structures more as illustrations than as a datafield in its own right. Lack of chemical accuracy impedes progress in the areas mentioned above. We present a database of metabolites called BioMeta that augments the existing pathway databases by explicitly assessing the validity, correctness, and completeness of chemical structure and reaction information. Description The main bulk of the data in BioMeta were obtained from the KEGG Ligand database. We developed a tool for chemical structure validation which assesses the chemical validity and stereochemical completeness of a molecule description. The validation tool was used to examine the compounds in BioMeta, showing that a relatively small number of compounds had an incorrect constitution (connectivity only, not considering stereochemistry and that a considerable number (about one third had incomplete or even incorrect stereochemistry. We made a large effort to correct the errors and to complete the structural descriptions. A total of 1468 structures were corrected and/or completed. We also established the reaction balance of the reactions in BioMeta and corrected 55% of the unbalanced (stoichiometrically incorrect reactions in an automatic procedure. The BioMeta database was implemented in PostgreSQL and provided with a web-based interface. Conclusion We demonstrate that the validation of metabolite structures and reactions is a feasible and worthwhile undertaking, and that the validation results can be used to trigger corrections and improvements to BioMeta, our metabolite database. BioMeta provides some tools for rational drug design, reaction searches, and

Full Text Available A novel tris(2-aminoethylamine (TREN based tripodal ligand TRENOL (L has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis and UV-VIS, IR, 1H, and 13C NMR spectroscopic methods. The coordination behaviour of the ligand with H+ and trivalent metal ions, Fe(III and Cr(III, was investigated in aqueous medium at 0.1 M KCl at 25±1°C by potentiometric and spectrophotometric studies. Tripodal ligand showed seven protonation constants in the adopted pH range 2–11 and its electronic spectra exhibited three bands at 216, 323, and 423 nm. Ligand formed various metal complex species of the type MLH5, MLH4, MLH3, MLH, and ML with trivalent metal ions. The determined values of the formation constants (for ML species of the ligand with Fe(III and Cr(III were 24.19 and 18.64, respectively. Molecular modeling studies revealed that the metal complexes formed distorted octahedral geometry. Besides, ligand showed fluorescence at 496 nm when excited at 289 nm. The fluorescence behaviour of the ligand in the presence of Fe(III ions showed noticeable quenching in comparison to the other metal ions at physiological pH (7.4. So, as per the outcomes of the present study, TRENOL has the potential to be used as the iron detector in environmental, agricultural, and medical fields.

G-Protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent the largest class of drug targets, accounting for more than 40% of marketed drugs; however, discovery efforts for many GPCRs have failed to provide viable drug candidates. Historically, drug discovery efforts have focused on developing ligands that act at the orthosteric site of the endogenous agonist. Recently, efforts have focused on functional assay paradigms and the discovery of ligands that act at allosteric sites to modulate receptor function in either a positive, negative, or neutral manner. Allosteric modulators have numerous advantages over orthosteric ligands, including high subtype selectivity; the ability to mimic physiological conditions; the lack of densensitization, downregulation, and internalization; and reduced side effects. Despite these virtues, challenging issues have now arisen for allosteric modulators of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs): shallow SAR, ligand-directed trafficking, and the identification of subtle “molecular switches” that modulate the modes of pharmacology. Here, we will discuss the impact of modest structural changes to multiple mGluR allosteric ligands scaffolds that unexpectedly modulate pharmacology and raise concerns over metabolism and the pharmacology of metabolites. PMID:21341760

Many cellular responses are triggered by proteins, drugs or pathogens binding to cell-surface receptors, but it can be challenging to identify which receptors are bound by a given ligand. Here we describe TRICEPS, a chemoproteomic reagent with three moieties--one that binds ligands containing an amino group, a second that binds glycosylated receptors on living cells and a biotin tag for purifying the receptor peptides for identification by quantitative mass spectrometry. We validated this ligand-based, receptor-capture (LRC) technology using insulin, transferrin, apelin, epidermal growth factor, the therapeutic antibody trastuzumab and two DARPins targeting ErbB2. In some cases, we could also determine the approximate ligand-binding sites on the receptors. Using TRICEPS to label intact mature vaccinia viruses, we identified the cell surface proteins AXL, M6PR, DAG1, CSPG4 and CDH13 as binding factors on human cells. This technology enables the identification of receptors for many types of ligands under near-physiological conditions and without the need for genetic manipulations.

Growing interest in pharmacological resting state fMRI (RSfMRI) necessitates developing standardized and robust analytical approaches that are insensitive to spurious correlated physiological signals. However, in pharmacological experiments physiological variations constitute an important aspect of

Vitreous surgery has various physiological and clinical consequences, both beneficial and harmful. Vitrectomy reduces the risk of retinal neovascularization, while increasing the risk of iris neovascularization, reduces macular edema and stimulates cataract formation. These clinical consequences may be understood with the help of classical laws of physics and physiology. The laws of Fick, Stokes-Einstein and Hagen-Poiseuille state that molecular transport by diffusion or convection is inversely related to the viscosity of the medium. When the vitreous gel is replaced with less viscous saline, the transport of all molecules, including oxygen and cytokines, is facilitated. Oxygen transport to ischemic retinal areas is improved, as is clearance of VEGF and other cytokines from these areas, thus reducing edema and neovascularization. At the same time, oxygen is transported faster down a concentration gradient from the anterior to the posterior segment, while VEGF moves in the opposite direction, making the anterior segment less oxygenated and with more VEGF, stimulating iris neovascularization. Silicone oil is the exception that proves the rule: it is more viscous than vitreous humour, re-establishes the transport barrier to oxygen and VEGF, and reduces the risk for iris neovascularization in the vitrectomized-lentectomized eye. Modern vitreous surgery involves a variety of treatment options in addition to vitrectomy itself, such as photocoagulation, anti-VEGF drugs, intravitreal steroids and release of vitreoretinal traction. A full understanding of these treatment modalities allows sensible combination of treatment options. Retinal photocoagulation has repeatedly been shown to improve retinal oxygenation, as does vitrectomy. Oxygen naturally reduces VEGF production and improves retinal hemodynamics. The VEGF-lowering effect of photocoagulation and vitrectomy can be augmented with anti-VEGF drugs and the permeability effect of VEGF reduced with corticosteroids

This manual describes the laboratory methods used to collect flight crew physiological performance data at the Johnson Space Center. The Exercise Countermeasures Project Laboratory is a standard physiology laboratory; only the application to the study of human physiological adaptations to spaceflight is unique. In the absence of any other recently published laboratory manual, this manual should be a useful document staffs and students of other laboratories.

Assessing protein-ligand interaction is of great importance for virtual screening initiatives in order to discover new drugs. The present work describes a set of empirical scoring functions to assess the binding affinity, involving terms for intermolecular hydrogen bonds and contact surface. The results show that our methodology works better to predict protein-ligand affinity when compared with XSCORE, a popular empirical scoring function.

@@ Chiral 2,2'-bipyridines have been reported to be highly efficient catalysts and useful building blocks of supramolecular.[1,2] Chirality of bipyridines was introduced by chiral substituents. Because 1,1'-binaphthyl (BINOL) and its derivatives belong to the most important components of asymmetric catalysts, we would like to synthesize 5,5'-and 6,6'-positions substituted chiral bipyridine-type ligands, the chiral moieties of ligands originate from enationpure 1, 1'-binapthyl units.

At the end of May, 17 scientists involved in an EU COST Action on Conservation Physiology of Marine Fishes met in Oristano, Sardinia, to discuss how physiology can be better used in modelling tools to aid in management of marine ecosystems. Current modelling approaches incorporate physiology...... to different extents, ranging from no explicit consideration to detailed physiological mechanisms, and across scales from a single fish to global fishery resources. Biologists from different sub-disciplines are collaborating to rise to the challenge of projecting future changes in distribution and productivity...

Full Text Available Mixed cryoprotectants have been developed for the solubilization of ligands for crystallization of protein–ligand complexes and for crystal soaking. Low affinity lead compounds with poor solubility are problematic for structural studies. Complete ligand solubilization is required for co-crystallization and crystal soaking experiments to obtain interpretable electron density maps for the ligand. Mixed cryo-preserving compounds are needed prior to X-ray data collection to reduce radiation damage at synchrotron sources. Here we present dual-use mixes that act as cryoprotectants and also promote the aqueous solubility of hydrophobic ligands. Unlike glycerol that increases protein solubility and can cause crystal melting the mixed solutions of cryo-preserving compounds that include precipitants and solubilizers, allow for worry-free crystal preservation while simultaneously solubilizing relatively hydrophobic ligands, typical of ligands obtained in high-throughput screening. The effectiveness of these mixture has been confirmed on a human transthyretin crystals both during crystallization and in flash freezing of crystals.

The preparation and characterization of Zn(OTeF{sub 5}){sub 2} has resulted in a model compound with which to explore the concept of coordinative unsaturation. The coordination of solvents of varying donicity and dielectric constant to the Zn(II) ions in Zn(OTeF{sub 5}){sub 2} was studied by vapor phase monometry, NMR and IR spectroscopy, conductimetry, and X-Ray crystallography. The structures of [Zn(C{sub 6}H{sub 5}NO{sub 2}){sub 2}(OTeF{sub 5})2]2 and Zn(C{sub 6}H{sub 5}NO{sub 2}){sub 3}(OTEF{sub 5}){sub 2} demonstrate the electronic flexibility of some weakly coordinating solvents in that nitrobenzene can function as either an {eta}{sup 1}O or {eta}{sup 2}O,O`-ligand. The dependence of the number of bound solvent molecules and the degree of OTeF{sub 5}{minus} dissociation on solvent donor number and dielectric constant will be presented.

From a Cartesian perspective of rational analysis, the electric potential difference across the cell membrane is one of the fundamental concepts for the study of physiology. Unfortunately, undergraduate students often struggle to understand the genesis of this energy gradient, which makes the teaching activity a hard task for the instructor. The topic of bioelectrogenesis encompasses multidisciplinary concepts, involves several mechanisms, and is a dynamic process, i.e., it never turns off during the lifetime of the cell. Therefore, to improve the transmission and acquisition of knowledge in this field, I present an alternative didactic model. The design of the model assumes that it is possible to build, in a series of sequential steps, an assembly of proteins within the membrane of an isolated cell in a simulated electrophysiology experiment. Initially, no proteins are inserted in the membrane and the cell is at a baseline energy state; the extracellular and intracellular fluids are at thermodynamic equilibrium. Students are guided through a sequence of four steps that add key membrane transport proteins to the model cell. The model is simple at the start and becomes progressively more complex, finally producing transmembrane chemical and electrical gradients. I believe that this didactic approach helps instructors with a more efficient tool for the teaching of the mechanisms of resting membrane potential while helping students avoid common difficulties that may be encountered when learning this topic.

Full Text Available Modelica is an object-oriented language, in which models can be created and graphically represented by connecting instances of classes from libraries. These connections are not only assignments of values; they can also represent acausal equality. Even more, they can model Kirchhoff’s laws of circuits. In Modelica it is possible to develop library classes which are an analogy of electrical circuit components. The result of our work in this field is Physiolibrary (www.physiolibrary.org – a free, open-source Modelica library for human physiology. By graphical joining instances of Physiolibrary classes, user can create models of cardiovascular circulation, thermoregulation, metabolic processes, nutrient distribution, gas transport, electrolyte regulation, water distribution, hormonal regulation and pharmacological regulation. After simple setting of the parameters, the models are ready to simulate. After simulation, the user can examine variables as their values change over time. Representing the model as a diagram has also great educational advantages, because students are able to better understand physical principles when they see them modeled graphically.

Hormones play a critical role in maintaining body fluid balance in euryhaline fishes during changes in environmental salinity. The neuroendocrine axis senses osmotic and ionic changes, then signals and coordinates tissue-specific responses to regulate water and ion fluxes. Rapid-acting hormones, e.g. angiotensins, cope with immediate challenges by controlling drinking rate and the activity of ion transporters in the gill, gut, and kidney. Slow-acting hormones, e.g. prolactin and growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-1, reorganize the body for long-term acclimation by altering the abundance of ion transporters and through cell proliferation and differentiation of ionocytes and other osmoregulatory cells. Euryhaline species exist in all groups of fish, including cyclostomes, and cartilaginous and teleost fishes. The diverse strategies for responding to changes in salinity have led to differential regulation and tissue-specific effects of hormones. Combining traditional physiological approaches with genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses will elucidate the patterns and diversity of the endocrine control of euryhalinity.

The diamine putrescine, the triamine spermidine, and the tetramine spermine are ubiquitous in plant cells, while other polyamines are of more limited occurrence. Their chemistry and pathways of biosynthesis and metabolism are well characterized. They occur in the free form as cations, but are often conjugated to small molecules like phenolic acids and also to various macromolecules. Their titer varies from approximately micromolar to more than millimolar, and depends greatly on environmental conditions, especially stress. In cereals, the activity of one of the major polyamine biosynthetic enzymes, arginine decarboxylase, is rapidly and dramatically increased by almost every studied external stress, leading to 50-fold or greater increases in putrescine titer within a few hours. The physiological significance of this increase is not yet clear, although most recent work suggests an adaptive, protective role. Polyamines produced through the action of ornithine decarboxylase, by contrast, seem essential for DNA replication and cell division. The application of exogenous polyamines produces effects on patterns of senescence and morphogenesis, suggesting but not proving a regulatory role for polyamines in these processes. The evidence for such a regulatory role is growing.

Full Text Available The balance of dosha represents the healthy state and imbalance will cause various diseases. In normalcy doshas will be performing their own functions and individual doshas will be having their own specific sites. By telling the various sthana of each dosha, different function that is taken up by individual dosha in different sites has been highlighted.By mentioning ‘sparshanendriyam’ as one of the sthana of vata dosha the sensory functions of skin to vata dosha has been emphasised. By mentioning ‘sparshanam’ as one of the sthana of pittadosha, the function of colouring/pigmentation of skin, which is majorly carried out by melanocytes by secreting melanin pigment has been highlighted. Meda is one among the sthanas of kapha dosha; this can be considered as the adipose tissue of skin/below skin. Since sweda is mala of meda it can be also considered as the secretions from the eccrine glands.With respect to skin, sensory functions, both tactile and thermal is carried out by vata dosha more specifically vyana vata, pigmentation to the skin carried out by meloncytes by secreting melanin, it is nothing but function of pitta dosha more specifically brajaka pitta with the help of udana vata and finally production of sweat in sweat glands is the function of kapha. So there is the need for further study and research regarding the sthanas of all three doshas in different structures/organs in the body and its physiology.

The idea of free will is a conscious awareness of the brain concerning the nature of the movement that it produces. There is no evidence for it to be a driving force in movement generation. This review considers the physiology of movement generation and how the concepts of willing and agency might arise. Both the anatomical substrates and the timing of events are considered. Movement initiation and volition are not necessarily linked, and one line of evidence comes from consideration of patients with disorders of volition. Movement is generated subconsciously, and the conscious sense of willing the movement comes later, but the exact time of this event is difficult to assess because of the potentially illusory nature of introspection. The evidence suggests that movement is initiated in frontal lobe, particularly the mesial areas, and the sense of volition arises as the result of a corollary discharge from premotor and motor areas likely involving the parietal lobe. Agency probably involves a similar region in the parietal lobe and requires both the sense of volition and movement feedback.

An integrated research approach is described for studying yield physiology of short rotation intensively cultured (SRIC) poplar plantations. Branch architecture differs with clone and stand density, but the clonal ranking of important branch characteristics does not change with spacing.

Extrafloral nectar is an important food source for many animals, including predatory lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), although the physiological benefits of nectar consumption are poorly understood for most consumers. Under laboratory conditions, we confined new females of Coleomegilla macu...

Unselective and reversible adsorption of ligands on DNA for a model of binding proposed by Zasedatelev, Gursky, and Volkenshtein is considered. In this model, the interaction between neighboring ligands located at the distance of i binding centers is characterized by the statistical weight ai. Each ligand covers L binding centers. For this model, expressions for binding averages are represented in a new simple form. This representation is convenient for the calculation of the fraction of inter-ligand distances of i binding centers fd(i) and the fraction of binding centers included in the distances of i binding centers fbc(i) for various types of interaction between bound ligands. It is shown that, for non-cooperative binding, contact cooperativity and long-range cooperativity, the fraction of the zero inter-ligand distance fd(0) is maximal at any relative concentration of bound ligands (r). Calculations demonstrate that, at low r, fd(0) approximately r.ao, and fd(i) approximately r at 11/r-L, then fd(i) rapidly decreases with i at any r for all types of inter-ligand interaction. At high ligand concentration (r is close to rmax=L(-1)), fd(0) is close to unity and fd(i) rapidly decreases with i for any type of inter-ligand interaction. For strong contact cooperativity, fd(0) is close to unity in a much lager r interval ((0.5-1).rmax), and fd(1) approximately ao(-1) at r approximately 0.5.rmax. In the case of long-range interaction between bound ligands, the dependence fd(i) is more complex and has a maximum at i approximately (1/r-L)1/2 for anti-cooperative binding. fbc(i) is maximal at i approximately 1/r-L for all types of binding except the contact cooperativity. A strong asymmetry in the influence of contact cooperativity and anticooperativity on the ligand distribution along DNA is demonstrated.

Megalin and cubilin are endocytic receptors highly expressed in the endocytic apparatus of the renal proximal tubule. These receptors appear to be responsible for the tubular clearance of most proteins filtered in the glomeruli. Cubilin is a peripheral membrane protein, and therefore it does not have an endocytosis signaling sequence. It appears that megalin is responsible for internalization of cubilin and its ligands in addition to internalizing its own ligands. The proteinuria observed in megalin-deficient mice, in dogs lacking functional cubilin, and in patients with distinct mutations of the cubilin gene illustrates the importance of the receptors.

Finding the optimal combinations of ligands for tissue-specific delivery is tedious even if only a few well-established compounds are tested. The cargo affects the receptor-ligand interaction, especially when it is charged like DNA. The ligand should therefore be evaluated together with its cargo. Several viruses have been shown to interact with more than one receptor, for efficient internalization. We here present a DNA oligonucleotide-based method for inexpensive and rapid screening of biotin labeled ligands for combinatorial effects on cellular binding and uptake. The oligonucleotide complex was designed as a 44 bp double-stranded DNA oligonucleotide with one central streptavidin molecule and a second streptavidin at the terminus. The use of a highly advanced robotic platform ensured stringent processing and execution of the experiments. The oligonucleotides were fluorescently labeled and used for detection and analysis of cell-bound, internalized and intra-cellular compartmentalized constructs by an automated line-scanning confocal microscope, IN Cell Analyzer 3000. All possible combinations of 22 ligands were explored in sets of 2 and tested on 6 different human cell lines in triplicates. In total, 10 000 transfections were performed on the automation platform. Cell-specific combinations of ligands were identified and their relative position on the scaffold oligonucleotide was found to be of importance. The ligands were found to be cargo dependent, carbohydrates were more potent for DNA delivery whereas cell penetrating peptides were more potent for delivery of less charged particles.

As the number of structurally resolved protein-ligand complexes increases, the ligand-binding pockets of many proteins have been found to accommodate multiple different compounds. Effective use of these structural data is important for developing virtual screening (VS) methods that identify bioactive compounds. Here, we introduce a VS method, VS-APPLE (Virtual Screening Algorithm using Promiscuous Protein-Ligand complExes), based on promiscuous protein-ligand binding structures. In VS-APPLE, multiple ligands bound to a pocket are combined into a query template for screening. Both the structural match between a test compound and the multiple-ligand template and the possible collisions between the test compound and the target protein are evaluated by an efficient geometric hashing method. The performance of VS-APPLE was examined on a filtered, clustered version of the Directory of Useful Decoys data set. In Area Under the Curve analyses of this data set, VS-APPLE outperformed several popular screening programs. Judging from the performance of VS-APPLE, the structural data of promiscuous protein-ligand bindings could be further analyzed and exploited for developing VS methods.

PythDock is a heuristic docking program that uses Python programming language with a simple scoring function and a population based search engine. The scoring function considers electrostatic and dispersion/repulsion terms. The search engine utilizes a particle swarm optimization algorithm. A grid potential map is generated using the shape information of a bound ligand within the active site. Therefore, the searching area is more relevant to the ligand binding. To evaluate the docking performance of PythDock, two well-known docking programs (AutoDock and DOCK) were also used with the same data. The accuracy of docked results were measured by the difference of the ligand structure between x-ray structure, and docked pose, i.e., average root mean squared deviation values of the bound ligand were compared for fourteen protein-ligand complexes. Since the number of ligands' rotational flexibility is an important factor affecting the accuracy of a docking, the data set was chosen to have various degrees of flexibility. Although PythDock has a scoring function simpler than those of other programs (AutoDock and DOCK), our results showed that PythDock predicted more accurate poses than both AutoDock4.2 and DOCK6.2. This indicates that PythDock could be a useful tool to study ligand-receptor interactions and could also be beneficial in structure based drug design.

Zinc is one of the most important metal ions found in proteins performing specific functions associated with life processes. Coordination geometry of the zinc ion in the active site of the metalloprotein-ligand complexes poses a challenge in determining ligand binding affinities accurately in structure-based drug design. We report here an all atom force field based computational protocol for estimating rapidly the binding affinities of zinc containing metalloprotein-ligand complexes, considering electrostatics, van der Waals, hydrophobicity, and loss in conformational entropy of protein side chains upon ligand binding along with a nonbonded approach to model the interactions of the zinc ion with all the other atoms of the complex. We examined the sensitivity of the binding affinity predictions to the choice of Lennard-Jones parameters, partial atomic charges, and dielectric treatments adopted for system preparation and scoring. The highest correlation obtained was R2 = 0.77 (r = 0.88) for the predicted binding affinity against the experiment on a heterogenous dataset of 90 zinc containing metalloprotein-ligand complexes consisting of five unique protein targets. Model validation and parameter analysis studies underscore the robustness and predictive ability of the scoring function. The high correlation obtained suggests the potential applicability of the methodology in designing novel ligands for zinc-metalloproteins. The scoring function has been web enabled for free access at www.scfbio-iitd.res.in/software/drugdesign/bapplz.jsp as BAPPL-Z server (Binding Affinity Prediction of Protein-Ligand complexes containing Zinc metal ions).

Full Text Available Lipids not only have structural functions, but also play an important role as signaling and regulatory molecules and participate in many cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis. Bioactive lipids act both as extracellular mediators, which are associated with receptors on the surface of cells, and intracellular mediators triggering different signal pathways. They are present and active in physiological conditions, and are also involved in the pathogenesis of inflammation, asthma, cancer, diabetes, and hypertension. Bioactive lipids such as derivatives of arachidonic acid and sphingolipids have an important role in renal development, physiology and in many renal diseases. Some of them are potential indicators of kidney damage degree and/or function of the transplanted kidneys.

Chromatin regulation provides an important means of controlling cardiac gene expression under different physiological and pathological conditions. Processes that direct the development of normal embryonic hearts and pathology of stressed adult hearts may share general mechanisms that govern cardiac gene expression by chromatin-regulating factors. These common mechanisms may provide a framework for us to investigate the interactions among diverse chromatin remodelers/modifiers and various tran...

Blood transfusion is often a life saving intervention, but can also be harmful. Restrictive transfusion protocols have recently been developed with a post transfusion target haemoglobin level of 70–100 g/l. Whether haemoglobin level on its own is enough to guide our transfusion policy is an important issue. This review was aimed to look at other possible, so called physiological indicators of blood transfusion what clinicians can be used in addition to haemoglobin during their everyday practi...

Apart from a few species on which specific studies have been conducted (e.g. on the sexual cycle), most research on the physiology of reproduction in African inland waters fishes deals with four families : Cichlidae, Mugilidae, Clariidae and Anguillidae, due to their economic importance in fisheries and fishiculture. A detailed review of date on these four families is given after a brief summary of general knowledge concerning Teleostean fishes

Historically, the bicycle has evolved through the stages of a machine for efficient human transportation, a toy for children, a finely-tuned racing machine, and a tool for physical fitness development, maintenance and testing. Recently, major strides have been made in the aerodynamic design of the bicycle. These innovations have resulted in new land speed records for human powered machines. Performance in cycling is affected by a variety of factors, including aerobic and anaerobic capacity, muscular strength and endurance, and body composition. Bicycle races range from a 200m sprint to approximately 5000km. This vast range of competitive racing requires special attention to the principle of specificity of training. The physiological demands of cycling have been examined through the use of bicycle ergometers, rollers, cycling trainers, treadmill cycling, high speed photography, computer graphics, strain gauges, electromyography, wind tunnels, muscle biopsy, and body composition analysis. These techniques have been useful in providing definitive data for the development of a work/performance profile of the cyclist. Research evidence strongly suggests that when measuring the cyclist's aerobic or anaerobic capacity, a cycling protocol employing a high pedalling rpm should be used. The research bicycle should be modified to resemble a racing bicycle and the cyclist should wear cycling shoes. Prolonged cycling requires special nutritional considerations. Ingestion of carbohydrates, in solid form and carefully timed, influences performance. Caffeine appears to enhance lipid metabolism. Injuries, particularly knee problems which are prevalent among cyclists, may be avoided through the use of proper gearing and orthotics. Air pollution has been shown to impair physical performance. When pollution levels are high, training should be altered or curtailed. Effective training programmes simulate competitive conditions. Short and long interval training, blended with long

Cell communication modulates numerous biological processes including proliferation, apoptosis, motility, invasion and differentiation. Correspondingly, there has been significant interest in the development of surface display strategies for the presentation of signaling molecules to living cells. This effort has primarily focused on naturally surface-bound ligands, such as extracellular matrix components and cell membranes. Soluble ligands (e.g. growth factors and cytokines) play an important role in intercellular communications, and their display in a surface-bound format would be of great utility in the design of array-based live cell assays. Recently, several cell microarray systems that display cDNA, RNAi, or small molecules in a surface array format were proven to be useful in accelerating high-throughput functional genetic studies and screening therapeutic agents. These surface display methods provide a flexible platform for the systematic, combinatorial investigation of genes and small molecules affecting cellular processes and phenotypes of interest. In an analogous sense, it would be an important advance if one could display soluble signaling ligands in a surface assay format that allows for systematic, patterned presentation of soluble ligands to live cells. Such a technique would make it possible to examine cellular phenotypes of interest in a parallel format with soluble signaling ligands as one of the display parameters. Herein we report a ligand-modified fluid supported lipid bilayer (SLB) assay system that can be used to functionally display soluble ligands to cells in situ (Figure 1A). By displaying soluble ligands on a SLB surface, both solution behavior (the ability to become locally enriched by reaction-diffusion processes) and solid behavior (the ability to control the spatial location of the ligands in an open system) could be combined. The method reported herein benefits from the naturally fluid state of the supported membrane, which allows

Two surveys were conducted between 1994 and 1996. The purpose of the initial survey was to obtain demographic information about prebaccaulareate human physiology courses. Of the 117 responding physiology departments, 50% offered human physiology at the prebaccalaureate level to 14,185 students during the 1994-1995 academic year. The mean was 245 students per year (+/- 30 SE). Class size was limited by 44% of the respondents. Prebaccaluareate human physiology was offered as a separate course from anatomy by 93% of the departments. Sixty-one percent scheduled the course once a year. The purpose of the second survey was to determine how physiology departments evaluated prebaccalaureate physiology courses and faculty. All responding departments utilized student feedback; 38% of the departments included physiology chair review, 38% peer review, and 9% allied health faculty review. Twenty-eight percent of allied health programs evaluated the course. Results indicated that, whereas a significant number of undergraduate students are enrolled in prebaccaluareate physiology courses annually, those courses appear to lack formal, consistent formative evaluation.

The clinical efficacy and safety of a drug is determined by its activity profile across multiple proteins in the proteome. However, designing drugs with a specific multi-target profile is both complex and difficult. Therefore methods to rationally design drugs a priori against profiles of multiple proteins would have immense value in drug discovery. We describe a new approach for the automated design of ligands against profiles of multiple drug targets. The method is demonstrated by the evolution of an approved acetylcholinesterase inhibitor drug into brain penetrable ligands with either specific polypharmacology or exquisite selectivity profiles for G-protein coupled receptors. Overall, 800 ligand-target predictions of prospectively designed ligands were tested experimentally, of which 75% were confirmed correct. We also demonstrate target engagement in vivo. The approach can be a useful source of drug leads where multi-target profiles are required to achieve either selectivity over other drug targets or a desired polypharmacology. PMID:23235874

Here we show that a small synthetic ligand can be used as a key building component for DNA nanofabrication. Using naphthyridinecarbamate dimer (NCD) as a molecular glue for DNA hybridization, we demonstrate NCD-triggered formation of a DNA tetrahedron.

The potential benefits of physiology for conservation are well established and include greater specificity of management techniques, determination of cause-effect relationships, increased sensitivity of health and disturbance monitoring and greater capacity for predicting future change. While descriptions of the specific avenues in which conservation and physiology can be integrated are readily available and important to the continuing expansion of the discipline of 'conservation physiology', to date there has been no assessment of how the field has specifically contributed to conservation success. However, the goal of conservation physiology is to foster conservation solutions and it is therefore important to assess whether physiological approaches contribute to downstream conservation outcomes and management decisions. Here, we present eight areas of conservation concern, ranging from chemical contamination to invasive species to ecotourism, where physiological approaches have led to beneficial changes in human behaviour, management or policy. We also discuss the shared characteristics of these successes, identifying emerging themes in the discipline. Specifically, we conclude that conservation physiology: (i) goes beyond documenting change to provide solutions; (ii) offers a diversity of physiological metrics beyond glucocorticoids (stress hormones); (iii) includes approaches that are transferable among species, locations and times; (iv) simultaneously allows for human use and benefits to wildlife; and (v) is characterized by successes that can be difficult to find in the primary literature. Overall, we submit that the field of conservation physiology has a strong foundation of achievements characterized by a diversity of conservation issues, taxa, physiological traits, ecosystem types and spatial scales. We hope that these concrete successes will encourage the continued evolution and use of physiological tools within conservation-based research and management

An overview of the scientific literature shows that the concept of function is central in physiology. However, the concept itself is not defined by physiologists. On the other hand, the teleological, namely, the 'goal-directed' dimension of function, and its subsequent explanatory relevance, is a philosophical problem. Intuitively, the function of a trait in a system explains why this trait is present, but, in the early 1960s, Ernest Nagel and Carl Hempel have shown that this inference cannot be logically founded. However, they showed that self-regulated systems are teleological. According to the selectionist theories, the function of an item is its effect that has been selected by natural selection, a process that explains its presence. As they restrict the functional attribution of a trait to its past selective value and not its current properties, these theories are inconsistent with the concept of function in physiology. A more adequate one is the causal role theory, for which a function of a trait in a system is its causal contribution to the functional capacity of the system. However, this leaves unsolved the question of the 'surplus meaning' of the teleological dimension of function. The significance of considering organisms as 'purpose-like' (teleological) systems may reside not in its explanatory power but in its methodological fruitfulness in physiology. In this view, the teleological dimension of physiological functions is convergent to but not imported from, the teleological dimension of evolutionary biology.

An overview of the scientific literature shows that the concept of function is central in physiology. However, the concept itself is not defined by physiologists. On the other hand, the teleological, namely, the ‘goal-directed’ dimension of function, and its subsequent explanatory relevance, is a philosophical problem. Intuitively, the function of a trait in a system explains why this trait is present, but, in the early 1960s, Ernest Nagel and Carl Hempel have shown that this inference cannot be logically founded. However, they showed that self-regulated systems are teleological. According to the selectionist theories, the function of an item is its effect that has been selected by natural selection, a process that explains its presence. As they restrict the functional attribution of a trait to its past selective value and not its current properties, these theories are inconsistent with the concept of function in physiology. A more adequate one is the causal role theory, for which a function of a trait in a system is its causal contribution to the functional capacity of the system. However, this leaves unsolved the question of the ‘surplus meaning’ of the teleological dimension of function. The significance of considering organisms as ‘purpose-like’ (teleological) systems may reside not in its explanatory power but in its methodological fruitfulness in physiology. In this view, the teleological dimension of physiological functions is convergent to but not imported from, the teleological dimension of evolutionary biology. PMID:24882809

The residence time of a ligand-protein complex is a crucial aspect in determining biological effect in vivo. Despite its importance, the prediction of ligand koff still remains challenging for modern computational chemistry. We have developed aMetaD, a fast and generally applicable computational protocol to predict ligand-protein unbinding events using a molecular dynamics (MD) method based on adiabatic-bias MD and metadynamics. This physics-based, fully flexible, and pose-dependent ligand scoring function evaluates the maximum energy (RTscore) required to move the ligand from the bound-state energy basin to the next. Unbinding trajectories are automatically analyzed and translated into atomic solvation factor (SF) values representing the water dynamics during the unbinding event. This novel computational protocol was initially tested on two M3 muscarinic receptor and two adenosine A2A receptor antagonists and then evaluated on a test set of 12 CRF1R ligands. The resulting RTscores were used successfully to classify ligands with different residence times. Additionally, the SF analysis was used to detect key differences in the degree of accessibility to water molecules during the predicted ligand unbinding events. The protocol provides actionable working hypotheses that are applicable in a drug discovery program for the rational optimization of ligand binding kinetics.

We examine in detail the impact of passivating ligands (i.e., amines, phosphines, phosphine oxides and pyridines) on the electronic and optical spectra of Cd{sub 33}Se{sub 33} quantum dots (QDs) using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) quantum-chemical methodologies. Most ligand orbitals are found deep inside in the valence and conduction bands of the QD, with pyridine being an exception by introducing new states close to the conduction band edge. Importantly, all ligands contribute states which are highly delocalized over both the QD surface and ligands, forming hybridized orbitals rather than ligand-localized trap states. In contrast, the states close to the band gap are delocalized over the QD atoms only and define the lower energy absorption spectra. The random detachment of one of ligands from the QD surface results in the appearance of a highly localized unoccupied state inside the energy gap of the QD. Such changes in the electronic structure are correlated with the respective QD-ligand binding energy and steric ligand-ligand interactions. Polar solvent significantly reduces both effects leading to delocalization and stabilization of the surface states. Thus, trap and surface states are substantially eliminated by the solvent. Polar solvent also blue-shifts (e.g., 0.3-0.4 eV in acetonitrile) the calculated absorption spectra. This shift increases with an increase of the dielectric constant of the solvent. We also found that the approximate single-particle Kohn-Sham (KS) approach is adequate for calculating the absorption spectra of the ligated QDs. Besides a systematic blue-shift, the KS spectra are in very good agreement with their respective counterparts calculated with the more accurate TDDFT method.

Full Text Available β-lactamase mediated antibiotic resistance is an important health issue and the discovery of new β-lactam type antibiotics or β-lactamase inhibitors is an area of intense research. Today, there are about a thousand β-lactamases due to the evolutionary pressure exerted by these ligands. While β-lactamases hydrolyse the β-lactam ring of antibiotics, rendering them ineffective, Penicillin-Binding Proteins (PBPs, which share high structural similarity with β-lactamases, also confer antibiotic resistance to their host organism by acquiring mutations that allow them to continue their participation in cell wall biosynthesis. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to include ligand sharing information for classifying and clustering β-lactamases and PBPs in an effort to elucidate the ligand induced evolution of these β-lactam binding proteins. We first present a detailed summary of the β-lactamase and PBP families in the Protein Data Bank, as well as the compounds they bind to. Then, we build two different types of networks in which the proteins are represented as nodes, and two proteins are connected by an edge with a weight that depends on the number of shared identical or similar ligands. These models are analyzed under three different edge weight settings, namely unweighted, weighted, and normalized weighted. A detailed comparison of these six networks showed that the use of ligand sharing information to cluster proteins resulted in modules comprising proteins with not only sequence similarity but also functional similarity. Consideration of ligand similarity highlighted some interactions that were not detected in the identical ligand network. Analysing the β-lactamases and PBPs using ligand-centric network models enabled the identification of novel relationships, suggesting that these models can be used to examine other protein families to obtain information on their ligand induced evolutionary paths.

Metalorganic frameworks (MOFs) are a new type of compounds which have been intensely investigated during the last few years. They have been synthesized using a wide variety of metals and ligands constructing a vast number of 1, 2 and 3 dimensional structures, some of which possess zeolite-type physics and chemistry. Our approach is to incorporate platinum metal sites into the structures making them bimetallic and potentially catalytically active. Therefore a number of N-N-type ligands (dii...

This review summarizes recent research on the influence of phosphine ligands on the size, stability, and reactivity of gold clusters synthesized in solution. Sub-nanometer clusters exhibit size- and composition-dependent properties that are unique from those of larger nanoparticles. The highly tunable properties of clusters and their high surface-to-volume ratio make them promising candidates for a variety of technological applications. However, because “each-atom-counts” toward defining cluster properties it is critically important to develop robust synthesis methods to efficiently prepare clusters of predetermined size. For decades phosphines have been known to direct the size-selected synthesis of gold clusters. Despite the preparation of numerous species it is still not understood how different functional groups at phosphine centers affect the size and properties of gold clusters. Using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) it is possible to characterize the effect of ligand substitution on the distribution of clusters formed in solution at defined reaction conditions. In addition, ligand exchange reactions on preformed clusters may be monitored using ESI-MS. Collision induced dissociation (CID) may also be employed to obtain qualitative insight into the fragmentation of mixed ligand clusters and the relative binding energies of differently substituted phosphines. Quantitative ligand binding energies and cluster stability may be determined employing surface induced dissociation (SID) in a custom-built Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT-ICR-MS). Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) based modeling of the SID data allows dissociation energies and entropy values to be extracted that may be compared with the results of high-level theoretical calculations. The charge reduction and reactivity of atomically precise gold clusters, including partially ligated species generated in the gas-phase by in source CID, on well

This review summarizes recent research on the influence of phosphine ligands on the size, stability, and reactivity of gold clusters synthesized in solution. Sub-nanometer clusters exhibit size- and composition-dependent properties that are unique from those of larger nanoparticles. The highly tunable properties of clusters and their high surface-to-volume ratio make them promising candidates for a variety of technological applications. However, because "each-atom-counts" toward defining cluster properties it is critically important to develop robust synthesis methods to efficiently prepare clusters of predetermined size. For decades phosphines have been known to direct the size-selected synthesis of gold clusters. Despite the preparation of numerous species it is still not understood how different functional groups at phosphine centers affect the size and properties of gold clusters. Using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) it is possible to characterize the effect of ligand substitution on the distribution of clusters formed in solution at defined reaction conditions. In addition, ligand exchange reactions on preformed clusters may be monitored using ESI-MS. Collision induced dissociation (CID) may also be employed to obtain qualitative insight into the fragmentation of mixed ligand clusters and the relative binding energies of differently substituted phosphines. Quantitative ligand binding energies and cluster stability may be determined employing surface induced dissociation (SID) in a custom-built Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT-ICR-MS). Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) based modeling of the SID data allows dissociation energies and entropy values to be extracted. The charge reduction and reactivity of atomically precise gold clusters, including partially ligated species generated in the gas-phase by in source CID, on well-defined surfaces may be explored using ion soft landing (SL) in a custom

Recent studies have revealed the importance of fish-derived peptide hormones to human endocrinology. These peptides include melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), urocortins (human urotensin-I), and urotensin-II. MCH, a hypothalamic peptide, is a potent stimulator on appetite. Urocortins, e.g. urocortin 1 and urocortin 3 (stresscopin), are endogenous ligands for the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptors, particularly CRF type 2 receptor, that mediates a vasodilator action, a positive inotropic action and a central appetite-inhibiting action. These actions mediated by CRF type 2 receptor may ameliorate the stress response. Human urotensin-II is a potent vasoconstrictor peptide, while it acts as a vasodilator on some arteries. Human urotensin-II is expressed in various types of cells and tissues, including cardiovascular tissues, as well as many types of tumor cells. Thus, these fish-derived peptides appear to play important roles in human physiology, such as appetite regulation, stress response and cardiovascular regulation, and also in diseases, for example, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and tumors. Development of antagonists/agonists against the receptors for these peptides may open new strategies for the treatment of various diseases, including obesity-related diseases, hypertension, heart failure and malignant tumors.

Coffee is a member of the Rubiaceae family and the genus Coffea. There are more than 70 species of coffee but only two are economically important: Coffea arabica L. and Coffea canephora Pierre; 70 % of the coffee traded in the world is arabica and 30 % is robusta (C. canephora). Other species such a

Coffee is a member of the Rubiaceae family and the genus Coffea. There are more than 70 species of coffee but only two are economically important: Coffea arabica L. and Coffea canephora Pierre; 70 % of the coffee traded in the world is arabica and 30 % is robusta (C. canephora). Other species such

Copper, iron, and gallium coordination chemistries of the new pentadentate bis-sulfonamide ligand 2,6-bis(N-2-pyridylmethylsulfonamido)-4-methylphenol (psmpH3) were investigated. PsmpH3 is capable of varying degrees of deprotonation, and notably, complexes containing the fully trideprotonated...... ligand can be prepared in aqueous solutions using only divalent metal ions. Two of the copper(II) complexes, [Cu2(psmp)(OH)] and [Cu2(psmp)(OAc)2]-, demonstrate the anticipated 1:2 ligand/metal stoichiometry and show that the dimetallic binding site created for exogenous ligands possesses high inherent...... flexibility since additional one- and three-atom bridging ligands bridge the two copper(II) ions in each complex, respectively. This gives rise to a difference of 0.4 Å in the Cu···Cu distances. Complexes with 2:3 and 2:1 ligand/metal stoichiometries for the divalent and trivalent metal ions, respectively...

Full Text Available Transforming Growth Factor--beta (TGFβ superfamily ligands, including Activins, Growth and Differentiation Factors (GDFs, and Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs, are excellent targets for protein-based therapeutics because of their pervasiveness in numerous developmental and cellular processes. We developed a strategy termed RASCH (Random Assembly of Segmental Chimera and Heteromer, to engineer chemically-refoldable TGFβ superfamily ligands with unique signaling properties. One of these engineered ligands, AB208, created from Activin-βA and BMP-2 sequences, exhibits the refolding characteristics of BMP-2 while possessing Activin-like signaling attributes. Further, we find several additional ligands, AB204, AB211, and AB215, which initiate the intracellular Smad1-mediated signaling pathways more strongly than BMP-2 but show no sensitivity to the natural BMP antagonist Noggin unlike natural BMP-2. In another design, incorporation of a short N-terminal segment from BMP-2 was sufficient to enable chemical refolding of BMP-9, without which was never produced nor refolded. Our studies show that the RASCH strategy enables us to expand the functional repertoire of TGFβ superfamily ligands through development of novel chimeric TGFβ ligands with diverse biological and clinical values.

Scientific research in swimming over the past 10 to 15 years has been oriented toward multiple aspects that relate to applied and basic physiology, metabolism, biochemistry, and endocrinology. This review considers recent findings on: 1) specific physical characteristics of swimmers; 2) the energetics of swimming; 3) the evaluation of aerobic fitness in swimming; and 4) some metabolic and hormonal aspects related to swimmers. Firstly, the age of finalists in Olympic swimming is not much different from that of the participants from other sports. They are taller and heavier than a reference population of the same age. The height bias in swimming may be the reason for lack of success from some Asian and African countries. Experimental data point toward greater leanness, particularly in female swimmers, than was seen 10 years ago. Overall, female swimmers present a range of 14 to 19% body fat whereas males are much lower (5 to 10%). Secondly, the relationship between O2 uptake and crawl swimming velocity (at training and competitive speeds) is thought to be linear. The energy cost varies between strokes with a dichotomy between the 2 symmetrical and the 2 asymmetrical strokes. Energy expenditure in swimming is represented by the sum of the cost of translational motion (drag) and maintenance of horizontal motion (gravity). The cost of the latter decreases as speed increases. Examination of the question of size-associated effects on the cost of swimming using Huxley's allometric equation (Y = axb) shows an almost direct relationship with passive drag. Expressing energy cost in litres of O2/m/kg is proposed as a better index of technical swimming ability than the traditional expression of VO2/distance in L/km. Thirdly, maximal direct conventional techniques used to evaluate maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) in swimming include free swimming, tethered swimming, and flume swimming. Despite the individual peculiarities of each method, with similar experimental conditions

Cassava or manioc (Manihot esculenta Crantz), a perennial shrub of the New World, currently is the sixth world food crop for more than 500 million people in tropical and sub-tropical Africa, Asia and Latin America. It is cultivated mainly by resource-limited small farmers for its starchy roots, which are used as human food either fresh when low in cyanogens or in many processed forms and products, mostly starch, flour, and for animal feed. Because of its inherent tolerance to stressful environments, where other food crops would fail, it is often considered a food-security source against famine, requiring minimal care. Under optimal environmental conditions, it compares favorably in production of energy with most other major staple food crops due to its high yield potential. Recent research at the Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) in Colombia has demonstrated the ability of cassava to assimilate carbon at very high rates under high levels of humidity, temperature and solar radiation,which correlates with productivity across all environments whether dry or humid. When grown on very poor soils under prolonged drought for more than 6 months, the crop reduce both its leaf canopy and transpiration water loss, but its attached leaves remain photosynthetically active, though at greatly reduced rates. The main physiological mechanism underlying such a remarkable tolerance to drought was rapid stomatal closure under both atmospheric and edaphic water stress, protecting the leaf against dehydration while the plant depletes available soil water slowly during long dry periods. This drought tolerance mechanism leads to high crop water use efficiency values. Although the cassava fine root system is sparse, compared to other crops, it can penetrate below 2 m soil,thus enabling the crop to exploit deep water if available. Leaves of cassava and wild Manihot possess elevated activities of the C4 enzyme PEP carboxylase but lack the leaf Kranz anatomy typical of C4

Full Text Available RosettaLigand has been successfully used to predict binding poses in protein-small molecule complexes. However, the RosettaLigand docking protocol is comparatively slow in identifying an initial starting pose for the small molecule (ligand making it unfeasible for use in virtual High Throughput Screening (vHTS. To overcome this limitation, we developed a new sampling approach for placing the ligand in the protein binding site during the initial 'low-resolution' docking step. It combines the translational and rotational adjustments to the ligand pose in a single transformation step. The new algorithm is both more accurate and more time-efficient. The docking success rate is improved by 10-15% in a benchmark set of 43 protein/ligand complexes, reducing the number of models that typically need to be generated from 1000 to 150. The average time to generate a model is reduced from 50 seconds to 10 seconds. As a result we observe an effective 30-fold speed increase, making RosettaLigand appropriate for docking medium sized ligand libraries. We demonstrate that this improved initial placement of the ligand is critical for successful prediction of an accurate binding position in the 'high-resolution' full atom refinement step.

Full Text Available Transition metal ions in their free state bring unwanted biological oxidations generating oxidative stress. The ligand modulated redox potential can be indispensable in prevention of such oxidative stress by blocking the redundant bio-redox reactions. In this study we investigated the comparative ligand effect on the thermo-kinetic aspects of biologically important cysteine iron (III redox reaction using spectrophotometric and potentiometric methods. The results were corroborated with the complexation effect on redox potential of iron(III-iron(II redox couple. The selected ligands were found to increase the rate of cysteine iron (III redox reaction in proportion to their stability of iron (II complex (EDTA < terpy < bipy < phen. A kinetic profile and the catalytic role of copper (II ions by means of redox shuttle mechanism for the cysteine iron (III redox reaction in presence of 1,10-phenanthroline (phen ligand is also reported.

Thermodynamic studies on ligand-protein binding have become increasingly important in the process of drug design. In combination with structural data and molecular dynamics simulations, thermodynamic studies provide relevant information about the mode of interaction between compounds and their target proteins and therefore build a sound basis for further drug optimization. Using the example of histone deacetylases (HDACs), particularly the histone deacetylase like amidohydrolase (HDAH) from Bordetella/Alcaligenes, a novel sensitive competitive fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based binding assay was developed and the thermodynamics of interaction of both fluorescent ligands and inhibitors to histone deacetylase like amidohydrolase were investigated. The assay consumes only small amounts of valuable target proteins and is suitable for fast kinetic and mechanistic studies as well as high throughput screening applications. Binding affinity increased with increasing length of aliphatic spacers (n = 4-7) between the hydroxamate moiety and the dansyl head group of ligand probes. Van't Hoff plots revealed an optimum in enthalpy contribution to the free energy of binding for the dansyl-ligand with hexyl spacer. The selectivity in the series of dansyl-ligands against human class I HDAC1 but not class II HDACs 4 and 6 increased with the ratio of ΔH(0)/ΔG(0). The data clearly emphasize the importance of thermodynamic signatures as useful general guidance for the optimization of ligands or rational drug design.

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is required by humans and other organisms for diverse metabolic processes, although only a subset of prokaryotes is capable of synthesizing B12 and other cobamide cofactors. The complete aerobic and anaerobic pathways for the de novo biosynthesis of B12 are known, with the exception of the steps leading to the anaerobic biosynthesis of the lower ligand, 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole (DMB). Here, we report the identification and characterization of the complete pathway for anaerobic DMB biosynthesis. This pathway, identified in the obligate anaerobic bacterium Eubacterium limosum, is composed of five previously uncharacterized genes, bzaABCDE, that together direct DMB production when expressed in anaerobically cultured Escherichia coli. Expression of different combinations of the bza genes revealed that 5-hydroxybenzimidazole, 5-methoxybenzimidazole, and 5-methoxy-6-methylbenzimidazole, all of which are lower ligands of cobamides produced by other organisms, are intermediates in the pathway. The bza gene content of several bacterial and archaeal genomes is consistent with experimentally determined structures of the benzimidazoles produced by these organisms, indicating that these genes can be used to predict cobamide structure. The identification of the bza genes thus represents the last remaining unknown component of the biosynthetic pathway for not only B12 itself, but also for three other cobamide lower ligands whose biosynthesis was previously unknown. Given the importance of cobamides in environmental, industrial, and human-associated microbial metabolism, the ability to predict cobamide structure may lead to an improved ability to understand and manipulate microbial metabolism.

The Escherichia coli thiM riboswitch forms specific contacts with its natural ligand, thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP or thiamine diphosphate), allowing it to generate not only nanomolar binding affinity, but also a high degree of discrimination against similar small molecules. A range of synthetic TPP analogues have been used to probe each of the riboswitch-ligand interactions. The results show that the pyrimidine-sensing helix of thiM is exquisitely tuned to select for TPP by recognising the H-bonding donor and acceptors around its aminopyrimidine ring and also by forming π-stacking interactions that may be sensitive to the electronics of the ring. The central thiazolium ring of TPP appears to be more important for ligand recognition than previously thought. It may contribute to binding via long-range electrostatic interactions and/or by exerting an electron withdrawing effect on the pyrimidine ring, allowing its presence to be sensed indirectly and thereby allowing discrimination between thiamine (and its phosphate esters) and other aminopyrimidines found in vivo. The pyrophosphate moiety is essential for submicromolar binding affinity, but unexpectedly, it does not appear to be strictly necessary for modulation of gene expression.

The goals of this project were to design new electrophilic metal alkyl complexes and to exploit these systems in fundamental studies of olefin polymerization and other important and new catalytic reactions. A key target reaction is insertion copolymerization of olefins and polar CH2=CHX vinyl monomers such as vinyl halides and vinyl ethers. During the period covered by this report we (i) investigated the properties of ortho-alkoxy-arylphosphine ligands in Ni-based olefin polymerization catalysts, (ii) studied the synthesis of double-end-capped polyethylene using group 4 metal catalysts that contain tris-pyrazolylborate ligands, (iii) explored the ethylene insertion reactivity of group 4 metal tris-pyrazolyl-borate complexes, (iv) showed that (α-diimine)PdMe{sup +} species undergo multiple insertion of silyl vinyl ethers, (v) synthesized and explored the reactivity of base-free Ni benzyl complexes that contain ortho-phosphino-arene sulfonate ligands, (vi) established the mechanism of the reaction of vinyl chloride with (α-diimine)PdMe{sup +} catalysts, (vii) explored the role of cationic polymerization and insertion chemistry in the reactions of vinyl ethers with (α-diimine)PdMe{sup +} species, (viii) discovered a new class of self-assembled tetranuclear Pd catalysts that produce high molecular weight linear polyethylene and copolymerize ethylene and vinyl fluoride, and (ix) developed model systems that enabled investigation of cis-trans isomerization of {phosphine-sulfonate}Pd(II) complexes.

Harnessing data from the growing number of protein-ligand complexes in the Protein Data Bank is an important task in drug discovery. In order to benefit from the abundance of three-dimensional structures, structural data must be integrated with sequence as well as chemical data and the protein-small molecule interactions characterized structurally at the inter-atomic level. In this study, we present CREDO, a new publicly available database of protein-ligand interactions, which represents contacts as structural interaction fingerprints, implements novel features and is completely scriptable through its application programming interface. Features of CREDO include implementation of molecular shape descriptors with ultrafast shape recognition, fragmentation of ligands in the Protein Data Bank, sequence-to-structure mapping and the identification of approved drugs. Selected analyses of these key features are presented to highlight a range of potential applications of CREDO. The CREDO dataset has been released into the public domain together with the application programming interface under a Creative Commons license at http://www-cryst.bioc.cam.ac.uk/credo. We believe that the free availability and numerous features of CREDO database will be useful not only for commercial but also for academia-driven drug discovery programmes.

Coffee is a member of the Rubiaceae family and the genus Coffea. There are more than 70 species of coffee but only two are economically important: Coffea arabica L. and Coffea canephora Pierre; 70 % of the coffee traded in the world is arabica and 30 % is robusta (C. canephora). Other species such as C. congensis, C. dewevrei and C. racemosa have some interesting genetic characteristics, including resistance to pests and diseases and are used in breeding programs. To satisfy the demand for co...

In addition to their roles in facilitating lipid digestion and absorption, bile acids are recognized as important regulators of intestinal function. Exposure to bile acids can dramatically influence intestinal transport and barrier properties; in recent years, they have also become appreciated as important factors in regulating cell growth and survival. Indeed, few cells reside within the intestinal mucosa that are not altered to some degree by exposure to bile acids. The past decade saw great advances in the knowledge of how bile acids exert their actions at the cellular and molecular levels. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the role of bile acids in regulation of intestinal physiology.

Full Text Available Neisseria adhesin A (NadA is present on the meningococcal surface and contributes to adhesion to and invasion of human cells. NadA is also one of three recombinant antigens in the recently-approved Bexsero vaccine, which protects against serogroup B meningococcus. The amount of NadA on the bacterial surface is of direct relevance in the constant battle of host-pathogen interactions: it influences the ability of the pathogen to engage human cell surface-exposed receptors and, conversely, the bacterial susceptibility to the antibody-mediated immune response. It is therefore important to understand the mechanisms which regulate nadA expression levels, which are predominantly controlled by the transcriptional regulator NadR (Neisseria adhesin A Regulator both in vitro and in vivo. NadR binds the nadA promoter and represses gene transcription. In the presence of 4-hydroxyphenylacetate (4-HPA, a catabolite present in human saliva both under physiological conditions and during bacterial infection, the binding of NadR to the nadA promoter is attenuated and nadA expression is induced. NadR also mediates ligand-dependent regulation of many other meningococcal genes, for example the highly-conserved multiple adhesin family (maf genes, which encode proteins emerging with important roles in host-pathogen interactions, immune evasion and niche adaptation. To gain insights into the regulation of NadR mediated by 4-HPA, we combined structural, biochemical, and mutagenesis studies. In particular, two new crystal structures of ligand-free and ligand-bound NadR revealed (i the molecular basis of 'conformational selection' by which a single molecule of 4-HPA binds and stabilizes dimeric NadR in a conformation unsuitable for DNA-binding, (ii molecular explanations for the binding specificities of different hydroxyphenylacetate ligands, including 3Cl,4-HPA which is produced during inflammation, (iii the presence of a leucine residue essential for dimerization and

Neisseria adhesin A (NadA) is present on the meningococcal surface and contributes to adhesion to and invasion of human cells. NadA is also one of three recombinant antigens in the recently-approved Bexsero vaccine, which protects against serogroup B meningococcus. The amount of NadA on the bacterial surface is of direct relevance in the constant battle of host-pathogen interactions: it influences the ability of the pathogen to engage human cell surface-exposed receptors and, conversely, the bacterial susceptibility to the antibody-mediated immune response. It is therefore important to understand the mechanisms which regulate nadA expression levels, which are predominantly controlled by the transcriptional regulator NadR (Neisseria adhesin A Regulator) both in vitro and in vivo. NadR binds the nadA promoter and represses gene transcription. In the presence of 4-hydroxyphenylacetate (4-HPA), a catabolite present in human saliva both under physiological conditions and during bacterial infection, the binding of NadR to the nadA promoter is attenuated and nadA expression is induced. NadR also mediates ligand-dependent regulation of many other meningococcal genes, for example the highly-conserved multiple adhesin family (maf) genes, which encode proteins emerging with important roles in host-pathogen interactions, immune evasion and niche adaptation. To gain insights into the regulation of NadR mediated by 4-HPA, we combined structural, biochemical, and mutagenesis studies. In particular, two new crystal structures of ligand-free and ligand-bound NadR revealed (i) the molecular basis of 'conformational selection' by which a single molecule of 4-HPA binds and stabilizes dimeric NadR in a conformation unsuitable for DNA-binding, (ii) molecular explanations for the binding specificities of different hydroxyphenylacetate ligands, including 3Cl,4-HPA which is produced during inflammation, (iii) the presence of a leucine residue essential for dimerization and conserved in

Full Text Available Molecular docking remains an important tool for structure-based screening to find new ligands and chemical probes. As docking ambitions grow to include new scoring function terms, and to address ever more targets, the reliability and extendability of the orientation sampling, and the throughput of the method, become pressing. Here we explore sampling techniques that eliminate stochastic behavior in DOCK3.6, allowing us to optimize the method for regularly variable sampling of orientations. This also enabled a focused effort to optimize the code for efficiency, with a three-fold increase in the speed of the program. This, in turn, facilitated extensive testing of the method on the 102 targets, 22,805 ligands and 1,411,214 decoys of the Directory of Useful Decoys-Enhanced (DUD-E benchmarking set, at multiple levels of sampling. Encouragingly, we observe that as sampling increases from 50 to 500 to 2000 to 5000 to 20,000 molecular orientations in the binding site (and so from about 1×10(10 to 4×10(10 to 1×10(11 to 2×10(11 to 5×10(11 mean atoms scored per target, since multiple conformations are sampled per orientation, the enrichment of ligands over decoys monotonically increases for most DUD-E targets. Meanwhile, including internal electrostatics in the evaluation ligand conformational energies, and restricting aromatic hydroxyls to low energy rotamers, further improved enrichment values. Several of the strategies used here to improve the efficiency of the code are broadly applicable in the field.

Glutathione (GSH) protects cells against oxidative injury and maintains a range of vital functions across all branches of life. Despite recent advances in our understanding of the transport mechanisms responsible for maintaining the spatiotemporal homeostasis of GSH and its conjugates in eukaryotes and Gram-negative bacteria, the molecular and structural basis of GSH import into Gram-positive bacteria has remained largely uncharacterized. Here, we employ genetic, biochemical and structural studies to investigate a possible glutathione import axis in Streptococcus mutans, an organism that has hitherto served as a model system. We show that GshT, a type 3 solute binding protein, displays physiologically relevant affinity for GSH and glutathione disulfide (GSSG). The crystal structure of GshT in complex with GSSG reveals a collapsed structure whereby the GS-I-leg of GSSG is accommodated tightly via extensive interactions contributed by the N- and C-terminal lobes of GshT, while the GS-II leg extends to the solvent. This can explain the ligand promiscuity of GshT in terms of binding glutathione analogues with substitutions at the cysteine-sulfur or the glycine-carboxylate. Finally, we show that GshT primes glutathione import via the L-cystine ABC transporter TcyBC, a membrane permease, which had previously exclusively been associated with the transport of L-cystine.

Metalloproteinase cleavage of transmembrane proteins (ectodomain cleavage), including the epidermal growth factor (EGF) ligands heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF), neuregulin (NRG), and transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), is important in many cellular signaling pathways and is disregulated in many diseases. It is largely unknown how physiological stimuli of ectodomain cleavage--hypertonic stress, phorbol ester, or activation of G-protein-coupled receptors [e.g., by lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)]--are molecularly connected to metalloproteinase activation. To study this question, we developed a fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS)- based assay that measures cleavage of EGF ligands in single living cells. EGF ligands expressed in mouse lung epithelial cells are differentially and specifically cleaved depending on the stimulus. Inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) isoenzymes or metalloproteinase inhibition by batimastat (BB94) showed that different regulatory signals are used by different stimuli and EGF substrates, suggesting differential effects that act on the substrate, the metalloproteinase, or both. For example, hypertonic stress led to strong cleavage of HB-EGF and NRG but only moderate cleavage of TGF-alpha. HB-EGF, NRG, and TGF-alpha cleavage was not dependent on PKC, and only HB-EGF and NRG cleavage were inhibited by BB94. In contrast, phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (TPA) -induced cleavage of HB-EGF, NRG, and TGF-alpha was dependent on PKC and sensitive to BB94 inhibition. LPA led to significant cleavage of only NRG and TGF-alpha and was inhibited by BB94; only LPA-induced NRG cleavage required PKC. Surprisingly, specific inhibition of atypical PKCs zeta and iota [not activated by diacylglycerol (DAG) and calcium] significantly enhanced TPA-induced NRG cleavage. Employed in a high-throughput cloning strategy, our cleavage assay should allow the identification of candidate proteins involved in signal transduction of different

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute a large class of seven transmembrane proteins, which bind selectively agonists or antagonists with important consequences for cellular signaling and function. Comprehension of the molecular details of ligand binding is important for the understanding...

Important differences in male and female cardiovascular anatomy and physiology may account for many of the gender differences seen in various cardiac disease states. Predominant influences on female disease manifestations include (1) women's smaller body size, hence smaller hearts and smaller coronary vessels and (2) women's fluctuating levels of estrogen throughout their lifespan. Understanding these critical anatomic and physiologic differences allows the clinician to better predict and plan care for women. For example, knowing that women generally have a smaller body surface area than men allows one to better understand why men have higher creatine kinase (CK) values than do women--an important distinction when interpreting these values in the acute care setting. The fact that women's hearts and coronary vessels are generally smaller than men's also helps one understand why women have a higher in-hospital mortality than men post-coronary artery bypass graft surgery (see article by Allen in this issue for more detailed information on revascularization). These are only a few examples of the many opportunities that acute care nurses have to integrate their knowledge of anatomy and physiology into proactive planning for their female cardiac patients.

Ionotropic glutamate receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that mediate much of the fast excitatory neurotransmission in the central nervous system. The extracellular ligand binding core (S1S2) of the GluR2 subtype of ionotropic glutamate receptors can be produced as a soluble protein with properties essentially identical to the corresponding domain in the intact, membrane-bound protein. Using a variety of biophysical techniques, much has been learned about the structure and dynamics of S1S2 and the relationship between its ligand-induced conformational changes and the function of the receptor. It is clear that dynamic processes are essential to the function of ionotropic glutamate receptors. We have isotopically labeled side chain methyls of GluR2 S1S2 and used NMR spectroscopy to study their dynamics on the ps-ns and mus-ms time scales. Increased disorder is seen in regions that are part of the key dimer interface in the intact protein. When glutamate is bound, the degree of ps-ns motion is less than that observed with other ligands, suggesting that the physiological agonist binds to a preformed binding site. At the slower time scales, the degree of S1S2 flexibility induced by ligand binding is greatest for willardiine partial agonists, least for antagonists, and intermediate for full agonists. Notable differences among bound ligands are in the region of the protein that forms a hinge between two lobes that close upon agonist binding, and along the beta-sheet in Lobe 2. These motions provide clues as to the functional properties of partial agonists and to the conformational changes associated with lobe closure and channel activation.

The Delta-like ligand 4/Notch signaling pathway was shown to participate in the process of retinal development and angiogenesis. However, the function of the Delta-like ligand 4/Notch signaling pathway in retinopathy of prematurity requires further study. Retinopathy of prematurity was induced in 5-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to hyperoxia for 7 days, and then returned to room air. Reverse transcription-PCR and western blot revealed that Delta-like ligand 4 levels decreased at postnatal day 12 and increased at postnatal day 17 in retinopathy of prematurity rats. Flat-mounted adenosine diphosphatase stained retina and hematoxylin-eosin stained retinal tissue slices showed that the clock hour scores and the nuclei counts in retinopathy of prematurity rats were significantly different compared to normal control rats. After retinopathy of prematurity rats were intravitreally injected with Delta-like ligand 4 monoclonal antibody to inhibit the Delta-like ligand 4/Notch signaling pathway, there was a significant increase in the severity of retinal neovascularization (clock hours) in the intravitreally injected eyes. The nuclei count was highly correlated with the clock hour score. These results suggest that Delta-like ligand 4/Notch signaling plays an essential role in the process of physiological and pathological angiogenesis in the retina.

heating is terminated, perfusion and oxygenation commonly recover, although how quickly this occurs appears to be tumour-specific. While these effects are unlikely to have any anti-tumour activity they can be exploited to improve the combination of heat with other therapies. However, since similar......The most importantphysiological parameter influencing tissue response to heat is blood flow. At mild hyperthermia temperatures blood perfusion increases in many tumours and this effect is heating time-, temperature- and tumour-dependent. These flow increases can improve tumour oxygenation. When...... physiological effects should occur in normal tissues, such combination therapies must be carefully applied. Heating tumours to higher temperatures typically causes a transient increase in perfusion during heating, followed by vascular collapse which if sufficient will increase tumour necrosis. The speed...

Full Text Available Physiologically based pharmacokinetic models are being used in an increasing number of different areas. These not only include the human safety assessment of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, biocides and environmental chemicals but also for food animal, wild mammal and avian risk assessment. The value of PBPK models is that they are tools for estimating tissue dosimetry by integrating in vitro and in vivo mechanistic, pharmacokinetic and toxicological information through their explicit mathematical description of important anatomical, physiological and biochemical determinants of chemical uptake, disposition and elimination. However, PBPK models are perceived as complex, data hungry, resource intensive and time consuming. In addition, model validation and verification are hindered by the relative complexity of the equations. To begin to address these issues a freely available web application for the rapid construction and documentation of bespoke PBPK models is under development. Here we present an overview of the current capabilities of MEGen, a model equation generator and parameter database and discuss future developments.

The most importantphysiological parameter influencing tissue response to heat is blood flow. At mild hyperthermia temperatures blood perfusion increases in many tumours and this effect is heating time-, temperature- and tumour-dependent. These flow increases can improve tumour oxygenation. When...... heating is terminated, perfusion and oxygenation commonly recover, although how quickly this occurs appears to be tumour-specific. While these effects are unlikely to have any anti-tumour activity they can be exploited to improve the combination of heat with other therapies. However, since similar...... physiological effects should occur in normal tissues, such combination therapies must be carefully applied. Heating tumours to higher temperatures typically causes a transient increase in perfusion during heating, followed by vascular collapse which if sufficient will increase tumour necrosis. The speed...

This PhD thesis focuses on the synthesis of new polypyridine anchoring ligands and several dfferent applications. The ligands consist of a coordinating part, a flexible linker and an anchoring group. Due to the fact that different anchoring groups were used, the ligands can be applied for several types of surface-materials. Using these anchoring ligands, several coordination complexes were synthesized. Ruthenium-based complexes, bearing an ion-sensitive ligand, were tested towards...

This article describes some recent developments in physiological measurement since the last `special issue' in 1978. Nine examples are given covering mature applications, new techniques and some `ideas for the future'. The need for good scientists in this interesting and challenging area is stressed. Physiological measurement is challenging because human physiology is complex. The examples described in this article illustrate some areas where cooperation between basic scientists, engineers, clinicians and, not least, patients has led to remarkable advances in our understanding of man and his physiology. Many challenges still lie ahead. There is no doubt that good quality graduates, with fresh minds and fresh enthusiasm, are needed to build on the foundation that has already been laid.

Presents data of the 1976 survey of departments of physiology. Includes comparison to 1974 and 1975 data for number of academic positions available, department budgets, graduate students and post doctoral fellows, and salaries. (SL)

Presents data of the 1976 survey of departments of physiology. Includes comparison to 1974 and 1975 data for number of academic positions available, department budgets, graduate students and post doctoral fellows, and salaries. (SL)

Organic complexing ligands dominate the chemical speciation of Zn in seawater globally, affecting its bioavailability and regulating its micronutrient role. We have shown that intermediate water masses in the West Pacific indicate a connection between point sources related to marginal seas, riverine matter, benthic fluxes, and continental shelves, with ligand concentrations and binding strengths evolving along water mass trajectories. Here we will present results from recent studies in tropical South East Asia that explore rivers in pristine peatland areas in Borneo, and rivers near and around agricultural and industrial anthropogenic influence in Borneo, Singapore and Malaysia, with the aim of elucidating the importance of relatively fresh natural and agricultural land-based plant material and industrial anthropogenic material in the organic matter mix that the ligands are a part of. These results track the ligand concentration and binding strength of different sources of Zn complexing ligands obtained using ASV and modern comprehensive mathematical methods We will compare records of humic substances from coral cores near the mouth of these rivers, with the goal of ascertaining a possible link of humic substance concentrations and metal complexing ligands in the region. We will compare the results from these large sources of organic matter with the ligands observed in continental shelves, where the organic matter has suffered biochemical processes, with ligands observed in the West Pacific, after decades of bacterial respiration while travelling along water masses. We aim to compare these ligand in order to assess the relevance of these sources of complexing ligands to regulate regional and global distribution of Zn ligands and its bioavailable concentrations.

Present docking methodologies simulate only one single ligand at a time during docking process. In reality, the molecular recognition process always involves multiple molecular species. Typical protein-ligand interactions are, for example, substrate and cofactor in catalytic cycle; metal ion coordination together with ligand(s); and ligand binding with water molecules. To simulate the real molecular binding processes, we propose a novel multiple ligand simultaneous docking (MLSD) strategy, which can deal with all the above processes, vastly improving docking sampling and binding free energy scoring. The work also compares two search strategies: Lamarckian genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization, which have respective advantages depending on the specific systems. The methodology proves robust through systematic testing against several diverse model systems: E. coli purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) complex with two substrates, SHP2NSH2 complex with two peptides and Bcl-xL complex with ABT-737 fragments. In all cases, the final correct docking poses and relative binding free energies were obtained. In PNP case, the simulations also capture the binding intermediates and reveal the binding dynamics during the recognition processes, which are consistent with the proposed enzymatic mechanism. In the other two cases, conventional single-ligand docking fails due to energetic and dynamic coupling among ligands, whereas MLSD results in the correct binding modes. These three cases also represent potential applications in the areas of exploring enzymatic mechanism, interpreting noisy X-ray crystallographic maps, and aiding fragment-based drug design, respectively.

The invention relates to radio-derivatized polymers and a method of producing them by contacting non-polymerizable conjugands with radiolysable polymers in the presence of irradiation. The resulting radio-derivatized polymers can be further linked with ligand of organic or inorganic nature to immobilize such ligands. 2 figs., 5 tabs.

The intersection between developmental programs and environmental conditions that alter physiology is a growing area of research interest. The C. elegans germ line is emerging as a particularly sensitive and powerful model for these studies. The germ line is subject to environmentally regulated diapause points that allow worms to withstand harsh conditions both prior to and after reproduction commences. It also responds to more subtle changes in physiological conditions. Recent studies demons...

The seasonal changes in the photoperiod, temperature and availability of food need to be converted to hormonal signals in order to induce adaptations in the physiology of the reindeer. The most reliable of the seasonal changes in the environment is the photoperiod, which affects the reindeer physiology through pineal gland and its hormone, melatonin. Usually there are large diurnal changes in the concentration of melatonin, but in the reindeer the daily rhythm disappears during the arctic sum...

The urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) is a membrane protein comprised of three extracellular domains. In order to study the importance of this domain organization in the ligand-binding process of the receptor we subjected a recombinant, soluble uPAR (suPAR) to specific proteolytic c...

A variety of tellurium ligands has been designed and studied for their complexation reactions in the last decade. Of these hybrid telluroethers, halotellurium ligands and polytellurides are the most notable ones. RTe- and polytelluride ions have also been used to design clusters. Ligation of ditelluroethers and several hybrid telluroethers is extensively studied in our laboratories. The ditelluroether ligand RTeCH2TeR (where R = 4-MeOC6H4) (1), similar to dppm [1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino) methane], has been synthesized in good yield (∼80 %) by reacting CHCl3 with RTe- (generated in situ by borohydride reduction of R2Te2). Iodine reacts with 1 to give tetra-iodo derivative, which has intermolecular Te$\\cdots$I interactions resulting in a macro structure containing rectangular Te-I$\\cdots$Te bridges. 1 readily forms four membered rings with Pd(II) and Ru(II). On the formation of this chelate ring, the signal in 125Te NMR spectra shifts significantly upfield (50-60 ppm). The bridging mode of 1 has been shown in [Ru(-cymene)Cl2](-1)[Ru(-cymene)Cl2]. The hybrid telluroether ligands explored are of the types (Te, S), (Te, N) and (Te, O). The tellurium donor site has strong trans influence, which is manifested more strongly in square planar complexes of palladium(II). The morpholine N-donor site has been found to have weaker donor characteristics in (Te, N) ligands than pyridine and alkylamine donor sites of analogous ligands. The singlet oxygen readily oxidises the coordinated Te. This oxidation follows first order kinetics. The complexation reaction of RuCl3.H2O with N-[2-(4-methoxyphenyltelluro)ethyl]phthalimide (2) results in a novel (Te, N, O)-heterocycle, Te-chloro,Te-anisyl-1a-aza-4-oxa-3-tellura-1H, 2H, 4aH-9 fluorenone. The (Te, O) ligands can be used as hemilabile ligands, the oxygen atom temporarily protects the vacant coordination site before the arrival of the substrate. The chelate shifts observed in 125Te NMR spectra of metal complexes of Te-ligands have

For the specific design of a drug we must first answer the question: How does a drug achieve its activity? An active ingredient must, in order to develop its action, bind to a particular target molecule in the body. Usually this is a protein, but also nucleic acids in the form of RNA and DNA can be target structures for active agents. The most important condition for binding is at first that the active agent exhibits the correct size and shape in order to optimally fit into a cavity exposed to the surface of the protein, the "bindingpocket". It is further necessary for the surface properties of the ligand and protein to be mutually compatible to form specific interactions. In 1894 Emil Fischer compared the exact fit of a substrate for the catalytic centre of an enzyme with the picture of a "lock-and-key". Paul Ehrlich coined in 1913 "Corpora non agunt nisi fixata", literally "bodies do not work when they are not bound". He wanted to imply that active agents that are meant to kill bacteria or parasites must be "fixed" by them, i.e. linked to their structures. Both concepts form the starting point for any rational concept in the development of active pharmaceutical ingredients. In many respects they still apply today. A drug must, after being administered, reach its target and interact with a biological macromolecule. Specific agents have a large affinity and sufficient selectivity to bind to the macromolecule's active site. This is the only way they can develop the desired biological activity without side-effects.

Full Text Available Abstract Background The application of computational modeling to rationally design drugs and characterize macro biomolecular receptors has proven increasingly useful due to the accessibility of computing clusters and clouds. AutoDock is a well-known and powerful software program used to model ligand to receptor binding interactions. In its current version, AutoDock requires significant amounts of user time to setup and run jobs, and collect results. This paper presents DockoMatic, a user friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI application that eases and automates the creation and management of AutoDock jobs for high throughput screening of ligand to receptor interactions. Results DockoMatic allows the user to invoke and manage AutoDock jobs on a single computer or cluster, including jobs for evaluating secondary ligand interactions. It also automates the process of collecting, summarizing, and viewing results. In addition, DockoMatic automates creation of peptide ligand .pdb files from strings of single-letter amino acid abbreviations. Conclusions DockoMatic significantly reduces the complexity of managing multiple AutoDock jobs by facilitating ligand and AutoDock job creation and management.

The application of computational modeling to rationally design drugs and characterize macro biomolecular receptors has proven increasingly useful due to the accessibility of computing clusters and clouds. AutoDock is a well-known and powerful software program used to model ligand to receptor binding interactions. In its current version, AutoDock requires significant amounts of user time to setup and run jobs, and collect results. This paper presents DockoMatic, a user friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI) application that eases and automates the creation and management of AutoDock jobs for high throughput screening of ligand to receptor interactions. DockoMatic allows the user to invoke and manage AutoDock jobs on a single computer or cluster, including jobs for evaluating secondary ligand interactions. It also automates the process of collecting, summarizing, and viewing results. In addition, DockoMatic automates creation of peptide ligand .pdb files from strings of single-letter amino acid abbreviations. DockoMatic significantly reduces the complexity of managing multiple AutoDock jobs by facilitating ligand and AutoDock job creation and management.

Adhesion in the biological realm is mediated by specific lock-and-key interactions between ligand-receptor pairs. These complementary moieties are ubiquitously anchored to substrates by tethers that control the interaction range and the mobility of the ligands and receptors, thus tuning the kinetics and strength of the binding events. Here we add sliding anchoring to the toolbox of ligand-receptor design by developing a family of tethered ligands for which the spacer can slide at the anchoring point. Our results show that this additional sliding degree of freedom changes the nature of the adhesive contact by extending the spatial range over which binding may sustain a significant force. By introducing sliding tethered ligands with self-regulating length, this work paves the way for the development of versatile and reusable bio-adhesive substrates with potential applications for drug delivery and tissue engineering.

An important question for the functioning of heme proteins is whether different ligands present within the protein moiety can readily exchange with heme-bound ligands. Studying the dynamics of the heme domain of the Escherichia coli sensor protein YddV upon dissociation of NO from the ferric heme by ultrafast spectroscopy, we demonstrate that when the hydrophobic leucine residue in the distal heme pocket is mutated to glycine, in a substantial fraction of the protein water replaces NO as an internal ligand in as fast as ∼4 ps. This process, which is near-barrierless and occurs orders of magnitude faster than the corresponding process in myoglobin, corresponds to a ligand swap of NO with a water molecule present in the heme pocket, as corroborated by molecular dynamics simulations. Our findings provide important new insight into ligand exchange in heme proteins that functionally interact with different external ligands.

Vancomycin is one of the most important and commonly used antibiotics in hospitals. Despite numerous investigations, however, it is not clear how vancomycin recognizes its site of action in the bacterial cell wall. The increasing incidence of bacterial resistance to vancomycin makes it imperative to understand these recognition determinants so that alternative agents may be developed. Herein we report the first crystal structure of vancomycin. The structure resolves a long-standing controversy about carboxylate recognition by vancomycin, suggests a possible cooperative mechanism linking ligand binding and dimerization, and demonstrates the operation of a novel intramolecular flap which occupies the binding site in the absence of ligand. 45 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.

Estrogens influence multiple physiological processes and are implicated in many diseases as well. Cellular responses to estrogens are mainly mediated by the estrogen receptors (ER)α and ERβ, which act as ligand-activated transcription factors. Recently, a member of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily, namely GPER/GPR30, has been identified as a further mediator of estrogen signalling in different pathophysiological conditions, including cancer. Today, computational methods are commonly used in all areas of health science research. Among these methods, virtual ligand screening has become an established technique for hit discovery and optimization. The absence of an established three-dimensional structure of GPER promoted studies of structure-based drug design in order to build reliable molecular models of this receptor. Here, we discuss the results obtained through the structure-based virtual ligand screening for GPER, which allowed the identification and synthesis of different selective agonist and antagonist moieties. These compounds led significant advances in our understanding of the GPER function at the cellular, tissue, and organismal levels. In particular, selective GPER ligands were critical toward the evaluation of the role elicited by this receptor in several pathophysiological conditions, including cancer. Considering that structure-based approaches are fundamental in drug discovery, future research breakthroughs with the aid of computer-aided molecular design and chemo-bioinformatics could generate a new class of drugs that, acting through GPER, would be useful in a variety of diseases as well as in innovative anticancer strategies.

The modular syntheses of three new octadentate, enantiopure ligands are reported, one with the bidentate chelating unit 2-hydroxyisophthalamide (IAM) and two with bidentate 1-hydroxy-2-pyridinone (1,2-HOPO) units. A new design principle is introduced for the chiral, non-racemic hexamines which constitute the central backbones for the presented class of ligands. The terbium(III) complex of the IAM ligand, as well as the europium(III) complexes of the 1,2-HOPO ligands, are synthesized and characterized by various techniques (NMR, UV, CD, luminescence spectroscopy). All species exhibit excellent stability and moderate to high luminescence efficiency (quantum yields {phi}{sub Eu} = 0.05-0.08 and {phi}{sub Tb} = 0.30-0.57) in aqueous solution at physiological pH. Special focus is put onto the properties of the complexes in regard to circularly polarized luminescence (CPL). The maximum luminescence dissymmetry factors (glum) in aqueous solution are high with |glum|max = 0.08-0.40. Together with the very favorable general properties (good stability, high quantum yields, long lifetimes), the presented lanthanide complexes can be considered as good candidates for analytical probes based on CPL in biologically relevant environments.

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Aqueous CdSe/ZnS QDs were prepared using polymaleic anhydrides as capping ligand. • Effect of reaction temperature and time were systematically studied in the synthesis process. • Water-soluble QDs exhibited a good stability in physiological relevant environment. • The aqueous QDs were applied as biological probe to detect human embryonic stem cell. - Abstract: This paper describes a robust ligand exchange approach for preparing biocompatible CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) to make bioprobe for effective cell imaging. In this method, polymaleic anhydride (PMA) ligand are first used to replace original hydrophobic ligand (oleic acid) and form a protection shell with multiple hydrophilic groups to coat and protect CdSe/ZnS QDs. The as-prepared aqueous QDs exhibit small particle size, good colloidal stability in aqueous solutions with a wide range of pH, salt concentrations and under thermal treatment, which are necessary for biological applications. The use of this new class of aqueous QDs for effective cell imaging shows strong fluorescence signal to human embryonic stem cell, which demonstrate that PMA coated QDs are fully satisfied with the requirements of preparing high quality biological probe.

Full Text Available Ligand-gated ion channels (LGIC play a central role in inter-cellular communication. This key function has two consequences: (i these receptor channels are major targets for drug discovery because of their potential involvement in numerous human brain diseases; (ii they are often found to be the target of plant and animal toxins. Together this makes toxin/receptor interactions important to drug discovery projects. Therefore, toxins acting on LGIC are presented and their current/potential therapeutic uses highlighted.

The project objective was the discovery of new ligands for performing metal ion separations. The research effort entailed the preparation of new metal ion complexing agents and polymers and their evaluation in metal ion separation processes of solvent extraction, synthetic liquid membrane transport, and sorption. Structural variations in acyclic, cyclic, and bicyclic organic ligands were used to probe their influence upon the efficiency and selectivity with which metal ion separations can be performed. A unifying feature of the ligand structures is the presence of one (or more) side arm with a pendent acidic function. When a metal ion is complexed within the central cavity of the ligand, ionization of the side arm(s) produces the requisite anion(s) for formation of an overall electroneutral complex. This markedly enhances extraction/transport efficiency for separations in which movement of aqueous phase anions of chloride, nitrate, or sulfate into an organic medium would be required. Through systematic structural variations, new ligands have been developed for efficient and selective separations of monovalent metal ions (e.g., alkali metal, silver, and thallium cations) and of divalent metal ion species (e.g., alkaline earth metal, lead, and mercury cations). Research results obtained in these fundamental investigations provide important insight for the design and development of ligands suitable for practical metal ion separation applications.

Full Text Available The competitive inhibitor cocaine and the non-competitive inhibitor ibogaine induce different conformational states of the human serotonin transporter. It has been shown from accessibility experiments that cocaine mainly induces an outward-facing conformation, while the non-competitive inhibitor ibogaine, and its active metabolite noribogaine, have been proposed to induce an inward-facing conformation of the human serotonin transporter similar to what has been observed for the endogenous substrate, serotonin. The ligand induced conformational changes within the human serotonin transporter caused by these three different types of ligands, substrate, non-competitive and competitive inhibitors, are studied from multiple atomistic molecular dynamics simulations initiated from a homology model of the human serotonin transporter. The results reveal that diverse conformations of the human serotonin transporter are captured from the molecular dynamics simulations depending on the type of the ligand bound. The inward-facing conformation of the human serotonin transporter is reached with noribogaine bound, and this state resembles a previously identified inward-facing conformation of the human serotonin transporter obtained from molecular dynamics simulation with bound substrate, but also a recently published inward-facing conformation of a bacterial homolog, the leucine transporter from Aquifex Aoelicus. The differences observed in ligand induced behavior are found to originate from different interaction patterns between the ligands and the protein. Such atomic-level understanding of how an inhibitor can dictate the conformational response of a transporter by ligand binding may be of great importance for future drug design.

The competitive inhibitor cocaine and the non-competitive inhibitor ibogaine induce different conformational states of the human serotonin transporter. It has been shown from accessibility experiments that cocaine mainly induces an outward-facing conformation, while the non-competitive inhibitor ibogaine, and its active metabolite noribogaine, have been proposed to induce an inward-facing conformation of the human serotonin transporter similar to what has been observed for the endogenous substrate, serotonin. The ligand induced conformational changes within the human serotonin transporter caused by these three different types of ligands, substrate, non-competitive and competitive inhibitors, are studied from multiple atomistic molecular dynamics simulations initiated from a homology model of the human serotonin transporter. The results reveal that diverse conformations of the human serotonin transporter are captured from the molecular dynamics simulations depending on the type of the ligand bound. The inward-facing conformation of the human serotonin transporter is reached with noribogaine bound, and this state resembles a previously identified inward-facing conformation of the human serotonin transporter obtained from molecular dynamics simulation with bound substrate, but also a recently published inward-facing conformation of a bacterial homolog, the leucine transporter from Aquifex Aoelicus. The differences observed in ligand induced behavior are found to originate from different interaction patterns between the ligands and the protein. Such atomic-level understanding of how an inhibitor can dictate the conformational response of a transporter by ligand binding may be of great importance for future drug design.

Phosphine oxide ligands are important in the chemistry of the nuclear fuel cycle. We have synthesized and characterized a series of phosphine oxide ligands with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) groups to enhance the spectroscopic features of uranyl, UO{sub 2}{sup 2+}, and to make detection more efficient. Complexation of OPPh{sub 2}R, R = C{sub 10}H{sub 7} (naphthyl); C{sub 14}H{sub 9} (phenanthrenyl); C{sub 14}H{sub 9} (anthracenyl); and C{sub 16}H{sub 9} (pyrenyl), to UO{sub 2}(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} afforded the eight-coordinate complexes, UO{sub 2}(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}(OPPh{sub 2}R){sub 2}. An eleven-coordinate complex, Th(NO{sub 3}){sub 4}[OPPh{sub 2}(C{sub 14}H{sub 9})]{sub 3}, C{sub 14}H{sub 9} = phenanthrenyl, was structurally characterized, and was found to be the first thorium compound isolated with three phosphine oxide ligands bound. The phosphine oxide ligands were not fluorescent but the anthracenyl-substituted ligand showed broad, red-shifted emission at approximately 50 nm relative to typical anthracene, making this ligand set a possibility for use in detection. The synthesis and spectroscopy of the uranyl and thorium complexes are presented.

Elucidating the detailed process of ligand binding to a receptor is pharmaceutically important for identifying druggable binding sites. With the ability to provide atomistic detail, computational methods are well poised to study these processes. Here, accelerated molecular dynamics (aMD) is proposed to simulate processes of ligand binding to a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR), in this case the M3 muscarinic receptor, which is a target for treating many human diseases, including cancer, diabetes and obesity. Long-timescale aMD simulations were performed to observe the binding of three chemically diverse ligand molecules: antagonist tiotropium (TTP), partial agonist arecoline (ARc), and full agonist acetylcholine (ACh). In comparison with earlier microsecond-timescale conventional MD simulations, aMD greatly accelerated the binding of ACh to the receptor orthosteric ligand-binding site and the binding of TTP to an extracellular vestibule. Further aMD simulations also captured binding of ARc to the receptor orthosteric site. Additionally, all three ligands were observed to bind in the extracellular vestibule during their binding pathways, suggesting that it is a metastable binding site. This study demonstrates the applicability of aMD to protein-ligand binding, especially the drug recognition of GPCRs. PMID:26537408

The endocrine system of birds is comparable to that of mammals, although there are many unique aspects to consider when studying the anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry. Avian endocrinology is a field of veterinary medicine that is unfamiliar to many practitioners; however, it is important to have a comprehensive understanding when evaluating companion birds in clinical practice. This article covers the anatomy and physiology of the normal avian, and readers are referred to other articles for a more detailed explanation of altered physiology and pathology.

At a time when plant species are experiencing increasing challenges from climate change, land-use change, harvesting and invasive species, dispersal has become a very important aspect of plant conservation. Seed dispersal by animals is particularly important because some animals disperse seeds to suitable sites in a directed fashion. Our review has two aims: (i) to highlight the various ways plant dispersal by animals can be affected by current anthropogenic change and (ii) to show the important role of plant and (particularly) animal physiology in shaping seed-dispersal interactions. We argue that large-bodied seed dispersers may be particularly important for plant conservation because seed dispersal of large-seeded plants is often more specialized and because large-bodied animals are targeted by human exploitation and have smaller population sizes. We further argue that more specialized seed-dispersal systems on island ecosystems might be particularly at risk from climate change both owing to small population sizes involved but also owing to the likely thermal specialization, particularly on tropical islands. More generally, the inherent vulnerability of seed-dispersal mutualisms to disruption driven by environmental change (as well as their ubiquity) demands that we continue to improve our understanding of their conservation physiology.

At a time when plant species are experiencing increasing challenges from climate change, land-use change, harvesting and invasive species, dispersal has become a very important aspect of plant conservation. Seed dispersal by animals is particularly important because some animals disperse seeds to suitable sites in a directed fashion. Our review has two aims: (i) to highlight the various ways plant dispersal by animals can be affected by current anthropogenic change and (ii) to show the important role of plant and (particularly) animal physiology in shaping seed–dispersal interactions. We argue that large-bodied seed dispersers may be particularly important for plant conservation because seed dispersal of large-seeded plants is often more specialized and because large-bodied animals are targeted by human exploitation and have smaller population sizes. We further argue that more specialized seed-dispersal systems on island ecosystems might be particularly at risk from climate change both owing to small population sizes involved but also owing to the likely thermal specialization, particularly on tropical islands. More generally, the inherent vulnerability of seed-dispersal mutualisms to disruption driven by environmental change (as well as their ubiquity) demands that we continue to improve our understanding of their conservation physiology. PMID:22566677

The docking of ligands to proteins can be formulated as a computational problem where the task is to find the most favorable energetic conformation among the large space of possible protein–ligand complexes. Stochastic search methods such as evolutionary algorithms (EAs) can be used to sample large...... search spaces effectively and is one of the commonly used methods for flexible ligand docking. During the last decade, several EAs using different variation operators have been introduced, such as the ones provided with the AutoDock program. In this paper we evaluate the performance of different EA...... settings such as choice of variation operators, population size, and usage of local search. The comparison is performed on a suite of six docking problems previously used to evaluate the performance of search algorithms provided with the AutoDock program package. The results from our investigation confirm...

Migration is a widespread phenomenon among many taxa. This complex behaviour enables animals to exploit many temporally productive and spatially discrete habitats to accrue various fitness benefits (e.g. growth, reproduction, predator avoidance). Human activities and global environmental change represent potential threats to migrating animals (from individuals to species), and research is underway to understand mechanisms that control migration and how migration responds to modern challenges. Focusing on behavioural and physiological aspects of migration can help to provide better understanding, management and conservation of migratory populations. Here, we highlight different physiological, behavioural and biomechanical aspects of animal migration that will help us to understand how migratory animals interact with current and future anthropogenic threats. We are in the early stages of a changing planet, and our understanding of how physiology is linked to the persistence of migratory animals is still developing; therefore, we regard the following questions as being central to the conservation physiology of animal migrations. Will climate change influence the energetic costs of migration? Will shifting temperatures change the annual clocks of migrating animals? Will anthropogenic influences have an effect on orientation during migration? Will increased anthropogenic alteration of migration stopover sites/migration corridors affect the stress physiology of migrating animals? Can physiological knowledge be used to identify strategies for facilitating the movement of animals? Our synthesis reveals that given the inherent challenges of migration, additional stressors derived from altered environments (e.g. climate change, physical habitat alteration, light pollution) or interaction with human infrastructure (e.g. wind or hydrokinetic turbines, dams) or activities (e.g. fisheries) could lead to long-term changes to migratory phenotypes. However, uncertainty remains

The roles of naturally occurring Fe- and Cu-ligands in particle dissolution were investigated during a 24-hour shipboard incubation experiment amended with various natural particles. The incubation seawater, collected from surface waters of the central Californian coast in July 2014, was amended with the Fe(II)-containing mineral biotite, the Fe(III)-mineral hematite, and resuspended nepheloid layer particles in separate treatments. Nepheloid layer particles were isolated via in situ filtration of bottom boundary layer waters overlying the central California shelf during the same cruise. Replicates of each particle type were incubated in both filtered and unfiltered surface seawater to provide insight on the role of ambient plankton communities on both the speciation of Fe and Cu and on the short-term dissolution of the particles. Samples for Fe- and Cu-binding ligands were analyzed from the 10-minute, 12-hour and 24-hour time points. Copper- and Fe-binding ligand analyses were performed by competitive ligand equilibration - cathodic stripping voltammetry (CLE-CSV), salicylaldoxime was used as the added competitive ligand for both metals. Dissolved concentrations of Fe and Cu were measured by ICP-MS analysis. Results from this experiment will be presented in the context of recently published studies looking at the influence of model Fe-binding ligands on aerosol dissolution in surface seawater. Altogether, these data emphasize the importance of ligands, and especially Fe-binding ligands, on particle dissolution in seawater.

Binding affinity of a small molecule drug candidate to a therapeutically relevant biomolecular target is regarded the first determinant of the candidate's efficacy. Although the ultrafiltration-LC/MS (UF-LC/MS) assay enables efficient ligand discovery for a specific target from a mixed pool of compounds, most previous analysis allowed for relative affinity ranking of different ligands. Moreover, the reliability of affinity measurement for multiple ligands with UF-LC/MS has hardly been strictly evaluated. In this study, we examined the accuracy of K(d) determination through UF-LC/MS by comparison with classical ITC measurement. A single-point K(d) calculation method was found to be suitable for affinity measurement of multiple ligands bound to the same target when binding competition is minimized. A second workflow based on analysis of the unbound fraction of compounds was then developed, which simplified sample preparation as well as warranted reliable ligand discovery. The new workflow implemented in a fragment mixture screen afforded rapid and sensitive detection of low-affinity ligands selectively bound to the RNA polymerase NS5B of hepatitis C virus. More importantly, ligand identification and affinity measurement for mixture-based fragment screens by UF-LC/MS were in good accordance with single ligand evaluation by conventional SPR analysis. This new approach is expected to become a valuable addition to the arsenal of high-throughput screening techniques for fragment-based drug discovery.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)-highly crystalline hybrid materials that combine metal ions with rigid organic ligands-have emerged as an important class of porous materials. The organic ligands add flexibility and diversity to the chemical structures and functions of these materials. In this Account, we summarize our laboratory's experience in tuning the topology and functionality of MOFs by ligand design. These investigations have led to new materials with interesting properties. By using a ligand that can adopt different symmetry conformations through free internal bond rotation, we have obtained two MOFs that are supramolecular stereoisomers of each other at different reaction temperatures. In another case, where the dimerized ligands function as a D(3)-Piedfort unit spacer, we achieve chiral (10,3)-a networks. In the design of MOF-based materials for hydrogen and methane storage, we focused on increasing the gas affinity of frameworks by using ligands with different geometries to control the pore size and effectively introduce unsaturated metal centers (UMCs) into the framework. Framework interpenetration in PCN-6 (PCN stands for porous coordination network) can lead to higher hydrogen uptake. Because of the proper alignment of the UMCs, PCN-12 holds the record for uptake of hydrogen at 77 K/760 Torr. In the case of methane storage, PCN-14 with anthracene-derived ligand achieves breakthrough storage capacity, at a level 28% higher than the U.S. Department of Energy target. Selective gas adsorption requires a pore size comparable to that of the target gas molecules; therefore, we use bulky ligands and network interpenetration to reduce the pore size. In addition, with the help of an amphiphilic ligand, we were able to use temperature to continuously change pore size in a 2D layer MOF. Adding charge to an organic ligand can also stabilize frameworks. By ionizing the amine group within mesoMOF-1, the resulting electronic repulsion keeps the network from

The longest-running goal of this project has been the synthesis, isolation, and physical chemical characterization of homogeneous transition metal complexes containing ligand types believed to be intermediates in the metal-catalyzed conversion of CO/H{sub 2}, CO{sub 2}, CH{sub 4}, and similar raw materials to organic fuels, feedstocks, etc. In the current project period, complexes that contain unusual new types of C{sub x}(carbide) and C{sub x}O{sub y} (carbon oxide) ligands have been emphasized. A new program in homogeneous fluorous phase catalysis has been launched as described in the final report.

Chiral, nonracemic pincer ligands based on the 6-phenyl-2-aminomethylpyridine and 2-aminomethylbenzo[h]quinoline scaffolds were obtained by a chemoenzymatic approach starting from 2-pyridyl and 2-benzoquinolyl ethanone. In the enantiodifferentiating step, secondary alcohols of opposite absolute configuration were obtained by a baker's yeast reduction of the ketones and by lipase-mediated dynamic kinetic resolution of the racemic alcohols. Their transformation into homochiral 1-methyl-1-heteroarylethanamines occurred without loss of optical purity, giving access to pincer ligands used in enantioselective catalysis.

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) has become the gold standard for stabilization of plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) in biofluids, because it prevents aggregation while minimizing unspecific interactions with proteins. Application of Au NPs in biological environments requires the use of ligands that can target selected receptors, even in the presence of protein-rich media. We demonstrate here the stabilizing effect of low-molecular-weight glycans on both spherical and rod-like plasmonic NPs under physiological conditions, as bench-marked against the well-established PEG ligands. Glycan-coated NPs are resistant to adsorption of proteins from serum-containing media and avoid phagocytosis by macrophage-like cells, but retain selectivity toward carbohydrate-binding proteins in protein-rich biological media. These results open the way toward the design of efficient therapeutic/diagnostic glycan-decorated plasmonic nanotools for specific biological applications.

Full Text Available The presence of the parathyroid hormones in vertebrates, including PTH, PTH-related peptide (PTHrP and tuberoinfundibular peptide of 39 residues (TIP39, has been proposed to be the result of two rounds of whole genome duplication in the beginning of vertebrate diversification. Bioinformatics analyses, in particular chromosomal synteny study and the characterization of the PTH ligands and their receptors from various vertebrate species, provide evidence that strongly supports this hypothesis. In this mini-review, we summarize recent advances in studies regarding the molecular evolution and physiology of the PTH ligands and their receptors, with particular focus on non-mammalian vertebrates. In summary, the PTH family of peptides probably predates early vertebrate evolution, indicating a more ancient existence as well as a function of these peptides in invertebrates.

The complete description of a chemical reaction in solution depends upon an understanding of the reactive molecule as well as its interactions with the surrounding solvent molecules. Using ultrafast infrared spectroscopy it is possible to observe both the solute-solvent interactions and the rearrangement steps which determine the overall course of a chemical reaction. The topics addressed in these studies focus on reaction mechanisms which require the rearrangement of complex ligands and the spectroscopic techniques necessary for the determination of these mechanisms. Ligand rearrangement is studied by considering two different reaction mechanisms for which the rearrangement of a complex ligand constitutes the most important step of the reaction. The first system concerns the rearrangement of a cyclopentadienyl ring as the response of an organometallic complex to a loss of electron density. This mechanism, commonly referred to as ''ring slip'', is frequently cited to explain reaction mechanisms. However, the ring slipped intermediate is too short-lived to be observed using conventional methods. Using a combination of ultrafast infrared spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations it has been shown that the intermediate exists, but does not form an eighteen-electron intermediate as suggested by traditional molecular orbital models. The second example examines the initial steps of alkyne polymerization. Group 6 (Cr, Mo, W) pentacarbonyl species are generated photolytically and used to catalyze the polymerization of unsaturated hydrocarbons through a series of coordination and rearrangement steps. Observing this reaction on the femto- to millisecond timescale indicates that the initial coordination of an alkyne solvent molecule to the metal center results in a stable intermediate that does not rearrange to form the polymer precursor. This suggests that polymerization requires the dissociation of additional carbonyl ligands before

The complete description of a chemical reaction in solution depends upon an understanding of the reactive molecule as well as its interactions with the surrounding solvent molecules. Using ultrafast infrared spectroscopy it is possible to observe both the solute-solvent interactions and the rearrangement steps which determine the overall course of a chemical reaction. The topics addressed in these studies focus on reaction mechanisms which require the rearrangement of complex ligands and the spectroscopic techniques necessary for the determination of these mechanisms. Ligand rearrangement is studied by considering two different reaction mechanisms for which the rearrangement of a complex ligand constitutes the most important step of the reaction. The first system concerns the rearrangement of a cyclopentadienyl ring as the response of an organometallic complex to a loss of electron density. This mechanism, commonly referred to as ''ring slip'', is frequently cited to explain reaction mechanisms. However, the ring slipped intermediate is too short-lived to be observed using conventional methods. Using a combination of ultrafast infrared spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations it has been shown that the intermediate exists, but does not form an eighteen-electron intermediate as suggested by traditional molecular orbital models. The second example examines the initial steps of alkyne polymerization. Group 6 (Cr, Mo, W) pentacarbonyl species are generated photolytically and used to catalyze the polymerization of unsaturated hydrocarbons through a series of coordination and rearrangement steps. Observing this reaction on the femto- to millisecond timescale indicates that the initial coordination of an alkyne solvent molecule to the metal center results in a stable intermediate that does not rearrange to form the polymer precursor. This suggests that polymerization requires the dissociation of additional carbonyl ligands before

Unlike proteins, RNA molecules have emerged lately as key players in regulation in bacteria. Most reviews hitherto focused on the experimental and/or in silico methods used to identify genes encoding small RNAs (sRNAs) or on the diverse mechanisms of these RNA regulators to modulate expression of their targets. However, less is known about their biological functions and their implications in various physiological responses. This review aims to compile what is known presently about the diverse roles of sRNA transcripts in the regulation of metabolic processes, in different growth conditions, in adaptation to stress and in microbial pathogenesis. Several recent studies revealed that sRNA molecules are implicated in carbon metabolism and transport, amino acid metabolism or metal sensing. Moreover, regulatory RNAs participate in cellular adaptation to environmental changes, e.g. through quorum sensing systems or development of biofilms, and analyses of several sRNAs under various physiological stresses and culture conditions have already been performed. In addition, recent experiments performed with Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens showed that regulatory RNAs play important roles in microbial virulence and during infection. The combined results show the diversity of regulation mechanisms and physiological processes in which sRNA molecules are key actors.

Taekwondo has evolved into a modern-day Olympic combat sport. The physical and physiological demands of modern-day taekwondo competition require athletes to be competent in several aspects of fitness. This review critically explores the physical and physiological characteristics of taekwondo athletes and presents implications for training and research. International taekwondo athletes possess low levels of body fat and a somatotype that characterises a blend of moderate musculoskeletal tissue and relative body linearity. While there is some variation in the maximum oxygen uptake of taekwondo athletes, moderate to high levels of cardio-respiratory fitness are necessary to support the metabolic demands of fighting and to facilitate recovery between consecutive matches. Taekwondo athletes demonstrate high peak anaerobic power characteristics of the lower limbs and this attribute appears to be conducive to achieving success in international competition. The ability to generate and sustain power output using both concentric and 'stretch-shortening cycle' muscle actions of the lower limbs may be important to support the technical and tactical actions in combat. Taekwondo competitors also display moderate to high maximum dynamic strength characteristics of the lower and upper extremities, and moderate endurance properties of the trunk and hip flexor musculature. The dynamic nature of the technical and tactical actions in the sport demand high flexibility of the lower limbs. More extensive research is required into the physical and physiological characteristics of taekwondo athletes to extend existing knowledge and to permit specialised conditioning for different populations within the sport.

Numerous studies address the physiology of adipose tissue (AT). The interest surrounding the physiology of AT is primarily the result of the epidemic outburst of obesity in various contemporary societies. Briefly, the two primary metabolic activities of white AT include lipogenesis and lipolysis. Throughout the last two decades, a new model of AT physiology has emerged. Although AT was considered to be primarily an abundant energy source, it is currently considered to be a prolific producer of biologically active substances, and, consequently, is now recognized as an endocrine organ. In addition to leptin, other biologically active substances secreted by AT, generally classified as cytokines, include adiponectin, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, resistin, vaspin, visfatin, and many others now collectively referred to as adipokines. The secretion of such biologically active substances by AT indicates its importance as a metabolic regulator. Cell turnover of AT has also recently been investigated in terms of its biological role in adipogenesis. Consequently, the objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive critical review of the current literature concerning the metabolic (lipolysis, lipogenesis) and endocrine actions of AT.

Consideration of binding competitiveness of a drug candidate against natural ligands and other drugs that bind to the same receptor site may facilitate the rational development of a candidate into a potent drug. A strategy that can be applied to computer-aided drug design is to evaluate ligand-receptor interaction energy or other scoring functions of a designed drug with that of the relevant ligands known to bind to the same binding site. As a tool to facilitate such a strategy, a database of ligand-receptor interaction energy is developed from known ligand-receptor 3D structural entries in the Protein Databank (PDB). The Energy is computed based on a molecular mechanics force field that has been used in the prediction of therapeutic and toxicity targets of drugs. This database also contains information about ligand function and other properties and it can be accessed at http://xin.cz3.nus.edu.sg/group/CLiBE.asp. The computed energy components may facilitate the probing of the mode of action and other profiles of binding. A number of computed energies of some PDB ligand-receptor complexes in this database are studied and compared to experimental binding affinity. A certain degree of correlation between the computed energy and experimental binding affinity is found, which suggests that the computed energy may be useful in facilitating a qualitative analysis of drug binding competitiveness.

Novel, safe, and efficient hypnotic compounds capable of enhancing physiological sleep are still in great demand in the therapy of insomnia. This study compares the sleep-wake effects of a new α1 GABA(A) receptor subunit ligand, GF-015535-00, with those of zolpidem, the widely utilized hypnotic compound. Nine C57Bl6/J male mice were chronically implanted with electrodes for EEG and sleep-wake monitoring. Each mouse received 3 doses of GF-015535-00 and zolpidem. Time spent in sleep-wake states and cortical EEG power spectra were analyzed. Both zolpidem and GF-015535-00 prominently enhanced slow wave sleep and paradoxical sleep in the mouse. However, as compared with zolpidem, GF-015535-00 showed several important differences: (1) a comparable sleep-enhancing effect was obtained with a 10 fold smaller dose; (2) the induced sleep was less fragmented; (3) the risk of subsequent wake rebound was less prominent; and (4) the cortical EEG power ratio between slow wave sleep and wake was similar to that of natural sleep and thus compatible with physiological sleep. The characteristics of the sleep-wake effects of GF-015535-00 in mice could be potentially beneficial for its use as a therapeutic compound in the treatment of insomnia. Further investigations are required to assess whether the same characteristics are conserved in other animal models and humans.

Full Text Available Deposition of bone in physiology involves timed secretion, deposition and removal of a complex array of extracellular matrix proteins which appear in a defined temporal and spatial sequence. Mineralization itself plays a role in dictating and spatially orienting the deposition of matrix. Many aspects of the physiological process are recapitulated in systems of autologous or xenogeneic transplantation of osteogenic precursor cells developed for tissue engineering or modeling. For example, deposition of bone sialoprotein, a member of the small integrin-binding ligand, N-linked glycoprotein family, represents the first step of bone formation in ectopic transplantation systems in vivo. The use of mineralized scaffolds for guiding bone tissue engineering has revealed unexpected manners in which the scaffold and cells interact with each other, so that a complex interplay of integration and disintegration of the scaffold ultimately results in efficient and desirable, although unpredictable, effects. Likewise, the manner in which biomaterial scaffolds are "resorbed" by osteoclasts in vitro and in vivo highlights more complex scenarios than predicted from knowledge of physiological bone resorption per se. Investigation of novel biomaterials for bone engineering represents an essential area for the design of tissue engineering strategies.

Calcium is very important for many physiological functions that take place in the body. The interaction between intestines, kidneys, and bone is essential to maintain a normal calcium balance. The process of active calcium in the intestines and kidneys is very important to determine the amount of ca

Intracellular pH (pHi) regulation is essential for cell function. Notably, several unique sperm ion transporters and enzymes whose elimination causes infertility are either pHi dependent or somehow related to pHi regulation. Amongst them are: CatSper, a Ca(2+) channel; Slo3, a K(+) channel; the sperm-specific Na(+)/H(+) exchanger and the soluble adenylyl cyclase. It is thus clear that pHi regulation is of the utmost importance for sperm physiology. This review briefly summarizes the key components involved in pHi regulation, their characteristics and participation in fundamental sperm functions such as motility, maturation and the acrosome reaction.

industrial production by employing flow cytometry for viability assessment, cell size comparison, intracellular pH (pHi) determination and cell sorting. The physiological studies of L. lactis were complemented by examining the growth behavior, glucose consumption, lactate production, culturability on solid...... was found to facilitate the differentiation and accurate quantification of L. lactis cells in different physiological states, which agreed with the reproductive viability of reference samples and of exponential cells. The high viability of one particular L. lactis strain demonstrated its robustness during......, cell size comparison and pHi determination reflected the increasing physiological impairment during this accelerated stability test, while a preincubation in buffer led to inconsistent flow cytometric results. The comparison of reproductive and growth-independent viability suggested the presence...

Full Text Available β-lactoglobulin (BLG is an abundant milk protein relevant for industry and biotechnology, due significantly to its ability to bind a wide range of polar and apolar ligands. While hydrophobic ligand sites are known, sites for hydrophilic ligands such as the prevalent milk sugar, lactose, remain undetermined. Through the use of molecular docking we first, analyzed the known fatty acid binding sites in order to dissect their atomistic determinants and second, predicted the interaction sites for lactose with monomeric and dimeric BLG. We validated our approach against BLG structures co-crystallized with ligands and report a computational setup with a reduced number of flexible residues that is able to reproduce experimental results with high precision. Blind dockings with and without flexible side chains on BLG showed that: i 13 experimentally-determined ligands fit the calyx requiring minimal movement of up to 7 residues out of the 23 that constitute this binding site. ii Lactose does not bind the calyx despite conformational flexibility, but binds the dimer interface and an alternate Site C. iii Results point to a probable lactolation site in the BLG dimer interface, at K141, consistent with previous biochemical findings. In contrast, no accessible lysines are found near Site C. iv lactose forms hydrogen bonds with residues from both monomers stabilizing the dimer through a claw-like structure. Overall, these results improve our understanding of BLG's binding sites, importantly narrowing down the calyx residues that control ligand binding. Moreover, our results emphasize the importance of the dimer interface as an insufficiently explored, biologically relevant binding site of particular importance for hydrophilic ligands. Furthermore our analyses suggest that BLG is a robust scaffold for multiple ligand-binding, suitable for protein design, and advance our molecular understanding of its ligand sites to a point that allows manipulation to control

β-lactoglobulin (BLG) is an abundant milk protein relevant for industry and biotechnology, due significantly to its ability to bind a wide range of polar and apolar ligands. While hydrophobic ligand sites are known, sites for hydrophilic ligands such as the prevalent milk sugar, lactose, remain undetermined. Through the use of molecular docking we first, analyzed the known fatty acid binding sites in order to dissect their atomistic determinants and second, predicted the interaction sites for lactose with monomeric and dimeric BLG. We validated our approach against BLG structures co-crystallized with ligands and report a computational setup with a reduced number of flexible residues that is able to reproduce experimental results with high precision. Blind dockings with and without flexible side chains on BLG showed that: i) 13 experimentally-determined ligands fit the calyx requiring minimal movement of up to 7 residues out of the 23 that constitute this binding site. ii) Lactose does not bind the calyx despite conformational flexibility, but binds the dimer interface and an alternate Site C. iii) Results point to a probable lactolation site in the BLG dimer interface, at K141, consistent with previous biochemical findings. In contrast, no accessible lysines are found near Site C. iv) lactose forms hydrogen bonds with residues from both monomers stabilizing the dimer through a claw-like structure. Overall, these results improve our understanding of BLG's binding sites, importantly narrowing down the calyx residues that control ligand binding. Moreover, our results emphasize the importance of the dimer interface as an insufficiently explored, biologically relevant binding site of particular importance for hydrophilic ligands. Furthermore our analyses suggest that BLG is a robust scaffold for multiple ligand-binding, suitable for protein design, and advance our molecular understanding of its ligand sites to a point that allows manipulation to control binding. PMID

The Intermedical School Physiology Quiz (IMSPQ) was initiated in 2003 during the author's last sabbatical from the University of Malaya. At this inaugural event, there were just seven competing teams from Malaysian medical schools. The challenge trophy for the IMSPQ is named in honor of Prof. A. Raman, who was the first Malaysian Professor of…

The biological functions of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) can be delineated into dioxin response element (DRE)-dependent or -independent activities. Ligands exhibiting either full or partial agonist activity, e.g., 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and α-naphthoflavone, have been demonstrated to potentiate both DRE-dependent and -independent AHR function. In contrast, the recently identified selective AHR modulators (SAhRMs), e.g., 1-allyl-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-7-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-indazole (SGA360), bias AHR toward DRE-independent functionality while displaying antagonism with regard to ligand-induced DRE-dependent transcription. Recent studies have expanded the physiological role of AHR to include modulation of hematopoietic progenitor expansion and immunoregulation. It remains to be established whether such physiological roles are mediated through DRE-dependent or -independent pathways. Here, we present evidence for a third class of AHR ligand, "pure" or complete antagonists with the capacity to suppress both DRE-dependent and -independent AHR functions, which may facilitate dissection of physiological AHR function with regard to DRE or non-DRE-mediated signaling. Competitive ligand binding assays together with in silico modeling identify N-(2-(1H-indol-3-yl)ethyl)-9-isopropyl-2-(5-methylpyridin-3-yl)-9H-purin-6-amine (GNF351) as a high-affinity AHR ligand. DRE-dependent reporter assays, in conjunction with quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of AHR targets, reveal GNF351 as a potent AHR antagonist that demonstrates efficacy in the nanomolar range. Furthermore, unlike many currently used AHR antagonists, e.g., α-naphthoflavone, GNF351 is devoid of partial agonist potential. It is noteworthy that in a model of AHR-mediated DRE-independent function, i.e., suppression of cytokine-induced acute-phase gene expression, GNF351 has the capacity to antagonize agonist and SAhRM-mediated suppression of SAA1. Such data indicate that GNF351 is a

Full Text Available Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ is a ligand-activated nuclear receptor regulating adipogenesis, glucose homeostasis and inflammatory responses. The activity of PPARγ is controlled by post-translational modifications including SUMOylation and phosphorylation that affects its biological and molecular functions. Several important aspects of PPARγ SUMOylation including SUMO isoform-specificity and the impact of ligand binding on SUMOylation remain unresolved or contradictory. Here, we present a comprehensive study of PPARγ1 SUMOylation. We show that PPARγ1 can be modified by SUMO1 and SUMO2. Mutational analyses revealed that SUMOylation occurs exclusively within the N-terminal activation function 1 (AF1 domain predominantly at lysines 33 and 77. Ligand binding to the C-terminal ligand-binding domain (LBD of PPARγ1 reduces SUMOylation of lysine 33 but not of lysine 77. SUMOylation of lysine 33 and lysine 77 represses basal and ligand-induced activation by PPARγ1. We further show that lysine 365 within the LBD is not a target for SUMOylation as suggested in a previous report, but it is essential for full LBD activity. Our results suggest that PPARγ ligands negatively affect SUMOylation by interdomain communication between the C-terminal LBD and the N-terminal AF1 domain. The ability of the LBD to regulate the AF1 domain may have important implications for the evaluation and mechanism of action of therapeutic ligands that bind PPARγ.

Opiates are the most effective analgesics available for the treatment of severe pain. However, their clinical use is restricted by unwanted side effects such as tolerance, physical dependence and respiratory depression. The strategy to develop new opiates with reduced side effects has mainly focused on the study and production of ligands that specifically bind to different opiate receptors subtypes. However, this strategy has not allowed the production of novel therapeutic ligands with a better side effects profile. Thus, other research strategies need to be explored. One which is receiving increasing attention is the possibility of exploiting ligand ability to stabilize different receptor conformations with distinct signalling profiles. This newly described property, termed functional selectivity, provides a potential means of directing the stimulus generated by an activated receptor towards a specific cellular response. Here we summarize evidence supporting the existence of ligand-specific active conformations for two opioid receptors subtypes (delta and mu), and analyze how functional selectivity may contribute in the production of longer lasting, better tolerated opiate analgesics. double dagger.

Disclosed are iron ligand catalysts for selective hydrogenation of aldehydes, ketones and imines. A catalyst such as dicarbonyl iron hydride hydroxycyclopentadiene) complex uses the OH on the five member ring and hydrogen linked to the iron to facilitate hydrogenation reactions, particularly in the presence of hydrogen gas.

This work details the synthesis and characterization of a series of coordination frameworks that are formed using bidentate angular N-donor ligands. Pyrimidine was reacted with metal(ll) nitrate salts. Reactions using Cd(NO sub 3) sub 2 receive particular focus and the analogous reactions using the linear ligand, pyrazine, were studied for comparison. In all cases, two-dimensional coordination networks were prepared. Structural diversity is observed for the Cd(ll) centres including metal-nitrate bridging. In contrast, first row transition metal nitrates form isostructural one-dimensional chains with only the bridging N-donor ligands generating polymeric propagation. The angular ligand, 2,4-bis(4-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine (dpt), was reacted with Cd(NO sub 3) sub 2 and Zn(NO sub 3) sub 2. Whereas Zn(NO sub 3) sub 2 compounds exhibit solvent mediated polymorphism, a range of structures were obtained for the reactions with Cd(NO sub 3) sub 2 , including the first example of a doubly parallel interpenetrated 4.8 sup...

The current gold standard for imaging infection is radiolabeled white blood cells. For reasons of safety, simplicity and cost, it would be desirable to have a receptor-specific ligand that could be used for imaging infection and that would allow a differential diagnosis between sterile and septic in

Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) mediate numerous physiological processes, including fast neurotransmission in the brain. They are targeted by a large number of clinically-important drugs and disruptions to their function are associated with many neurological disorders. The phosphorylation of pLGICs can result in a wide range of functional consequences. Indeed, many neurological disorders result from pLGIC phosphorylation. For example, chronic pain is caused by the protein kinase A-mediated phosphorylation of α3 glycine receptors and nicotine addiction is mediated by the phosphorylation of α4- or α7-containing nicotinic receptors. A recent study demonstrated that phosphorylation can induce a global conformational change in a pLGIC that propagates to the neurotransmitter-binding site. Here we present evidence that phosphorylation-induced global conformational changes may be a universal phenomenon in pLGICs. This raises the possibility of designing drugs to specifically treat disease-modified pLGICs. This review summarizes some of the opportunities available in this area.

The interaction of Cu(II) and Zn(II) ions with amyloid-β (Aβ) plays an important role in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease. We describe the use of electron spin resonance (ESR) to measure metal-binding competition between Cu(II) and Zn(II) in amyloid-β at physiological pH. Continuous wave ESR measurements show that the affinity of Cu(II) toward Aβ(1-16) is significantly higher than that of Zn(II) at physiological pH. Importantly, of the two known Cu(II) coordination modes in Aβ, component I and component II, Zn(II) displaces Cu(II) only from component I. Our results indicate that at excess amounts of Zn(II) component II becomes the most dominant coordination mode. This observation is important as Aβ aggregates in the brain contain a high Zn(II) ion concentration. In order to determine details of the metal ion competition, electron spin echo envelope modulation experiments were carried out on Aβ variants that were systematically (15)N labeled. In the presence of Zn(II), most peptides use His 14 as an equatorial ligand to bind Cu(II) ions. Interestingly, Zn(II) ions completely substitute Cu(II) ions that are simultaneously coordinated to His 6 and His 13. Furthermore, in the presence of Zn(II), the proportion of Cu(II) ions that are simultaneously coordinated to His 13 and His 14 is increased. On the basis of our results we suggest that His 13 plays a critical role in modulating the morphology of Aβ aggregates.

A comparative study has been made of the performance of differently substituted Ca-symmetric bis(aziridine) ligands in a variety of metal-mediated asymmetric reactions. The metals studied were osmium (dihydroxylation), palladium (allylic alkylation) and copper (cyclopropanation and aziridination......), the ligands being chosen so as to allow evaluation of both electronic and steric effects. The electronic effects were most pronounced for complexes of palladium, which seem to bind rather loosely to this type of ligand. For the other metals, steric effects play a more important role. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science...

Calcium complexes with bidentate carbonyl ligands are important in biological systems, medicine and industry, where the concentration of Ca(2+) is controlled using chelating ligands. The exchange of two water molecules of [Ca(H2O)6](2+) for one bidentate monosubstituted and homo disubstituted dicarbonyl ligand was investigated using the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) method. The ligand substituents NH2, OCH3, OH, CH3, H, F, Cl, CN and NO2 are functional groups with distinct electron-donating and -withdrawing effects that bond directly to the sp(2) C atom of the carbonyl group. The geometry, charge and energy characteristics of the complexes were analyzed to help understand the effects of substituents, spacer length and chelation. Coordination strength was quantified in terms of the enthalpy and free energy of the exchange reaction. The most negative enthalpies were calculated for the coordination of bidentate ligands containing three to five methylene group spacers between carbonyls. The chelate effect contribution was analyzed based on the thermochemistry. The electronic character of the substituent modulates the strength of binding to the metal cation, as ligands containing electron-donor substituents coordinate stronger than those with electron-acceptor substituents. This is reflected in the geometric (bond length and chelating angle), electronic (atomic charges) and energetic (components of the total interacting energy) characteristics of the complexes. Energy decomposition analysis (EDA)-an approach for partitioning of the energy into its chemical origins-shows that the electrostatic component of the coordination is predominant, and yields relevant contribution of the covalent term, especially for the electron-withdrawing substituted ligands. The chelate effect of the bidentate ligands was noticeable when compared with substitution by two monodentate ligands. Graphical abstract The affinity of 18 bidentate carbonyl ligands toward the [Ca(H2O)4](2+) cation is evaluated in

A relatively new strategy in drug discovery is the development of dual acting ligands. These molecules are potentially able to interact at two orthosteric binding sites of a heterodimer simultaneously, possibly resulting in enhanced subtype selectivity, higher affinity, enhanced or modified physiological response, and reduced reliance on multiple drug administration regimens. In this study, we have successfully synthesized a series of classical heterobivalent ligands as well as a series of more integrated and "drug-like" dual acting molecules, incorporating ropinirole as a dopamine D2 receptor agonist and ZM 241385 as an adenosine A2A receptor antagonist. The best compounds of our series maintained the potency of the original pharmacophores at both receptors (adenosine A2A and dopamine D2). In addition, the integrated dual acting ligands also showed promising results in preliminary blood-brain barrier permeability tests, whereas the classical heterobivalent ligands are potentially more suited as pharmacological tools.

Full Text Available Transcriptional regulation of some genes involved in xenobiotic detoxification and apoptosis is performed via the human pregnane X receptor (PXR which in turn is activated by structurally diverse agonists including steroid hormones. Activation of PXR has the potential to initiate adverse effects, altering drug pharmacokinetics or perturbing physiological processes. Reliable computational prediction of PXR agonists would be valuable for pharmaceutical and toxicological research. There has been limited success with structure-based modeling approaches to predict human PXR activators. Slightly better success has been achieved with ligand-based modeling methods including quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR analysis, pharmacophore modeling and machine learning. In this study, we present a comprehensive analysis focused on prediction of 115 steroids for ligand binding activity towards human PXR. Six crystal structures were used as templates for docking and ligand-based modeling approaches (two-, three-, four- and five-dimensional analyses. The best success at external prediction was achieved with 5D-QSAR. Bayesian models with FCFP_6 descriptors were validated after leaving a large percentage of the dataset out and using an external test set. Docking of ligands to the PXR structure co-crystallized with hyperforin had the best statistics for this method. Sulfated steroids (which are activators were consistently predicted as non-activators while, poorly predicted steroids were docked in a reverse mode compared to 5alpha-androstan-3beta-ol. Modeling of human PXR represents a complex challenge by virtue of the large, flexible ligand-binding cavity. This study emphasizes this aspect, illustrating modest success using the largest quantitative data set to date and multiple modeling approaches.

The hair follicle (HF) is an exceptional mini-organ to study the mechanisms which regulate HF morphogenesis, cycling, hair follicle stem cell (hfSCs) homeostasis, and progeny differentiation. During morphogenesis, Wnt signaling is well-characterized in the initiation of HF patterning but less is known about which particular Wnt ligands are required and whether individual Wnt ligands act in an indispensable or redundant manner during postnatal hfSCs anagen onset and HF cycle progression. Previously, we described the function of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling target gene WNT7a in intrinsic regulation of hfSCs homeostasis in vivo. Here, we investigated the role of Wnt7b, which was also intrinsically upregulated in hfSCs during physiological and precocious anagen after BMP inhibition in vivo. We demonstrated Wnt7b to be a direct target of canonical BMP signaling in hfSCs and using Wnt7b conditional gene targeting during HF morphogenesis revealed disrupted HF cycling including a shorter anagen, premature catagen onset with overall shorter hair production, and diminished HF differentiation marker expression. Additionally, we observed that postnatal ablation of Wnt7b resulted in delayed HF activation, affecting both the hair germ and bulge hfSCs but still maintaining a two-step sequence of HF stimulation. Interestingly, Wnt7b cKO hfSCs participated in reformation of the new HF bulge, but with slower self-renewal. These findings demonstrate the importance of intrinsic Wnt7b expression in hfSCs regulation and normal HF cycling and surprisingly reveal a nonredundant role for Wnt7b in the control of HF anagen length and catagen entry which was not compensated by other Wnt ligands.

The results of collision-induced dissociation (CID) experiments performed on gaseous protonated and deprotonated ions of complexes of cholera toxin B subunit homopentamer (CTB5) with the pentasaccharide (β-D-Gal p-(1→3)-β-D-Gal pNAc-(1→4)[α-D-Neu5Ac-(2→3)]-β-D-Gal p-(1→4)-β-D-Glc p (GM1)) and corresponding glycosphingolipid (β-D-Gal p-(1→3)-β-D-Gal pNAc-(1→4)[α-D-Neu5Ac-(2→3)]-β-D-Gal p-(1→4)-β-D-Glc p-Cer (GM1-Cer)) ligands, and the homotetramer streptavidin (S4) with biotin (B) and 1,2-dipalmitoyl- sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-(biotinyl) (Btl), are reported. The protonated (CTB5 + 5GM1)n+ ions dissociated predominantly by the loss of a single subunit, with the concomitant migration of ligand to another subunit. The simultaneous loss of ligand and subunit was observed as a minor pathway. In contrast, the deprotonated (CTB5 + 5GM1)n- ions dissociated preferentially by the loss of deprotonated ligand; the loss of ligand-bound and ligand-free subunit were minor pathways. The presence of ceramide (Cer) promoted ligand migration and the loss of subunit. The main dissociation pathway for the protonated and deprotonated (S4 + 4B)n+/- ions, as well as for deprotonated (S4 + 4Btl)n- ions, was loss of the ligand. However, subunit loss from the (S4 + 4B)n+ ions was observed as a minor pathway. The (S4 + 4Btl)n+ ions dissociated predominantly by the loss of free and ligand-bound subunit. The charge state of the complex and the collision energy were found to have little effect on the relative contribution of the different dissociation channels. Thermally-driven ligand migration between subunits was captured in the results of molecular dynamics simulations performed on protonated (CTB5 + 5GM1)15+ ions (with a range of charge configurations) at 800 K. Notably, the migration pathway was found to be highly dependent on the charge configuration of the ion. The main conclusion of this study is that the dissociation pathways of multisubunit protein-ligand

Award Number: W81XWH-12-1-0288 TITLE: Targeting Ligand-Dependent and Ligand-Independent Androgen Receptor Signaling in Prostate Cancer...average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed...and completing and reviewing this collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of

Progress of physiology is closely connected with achievements of the adjacent sciences that developed particularly intensively at the end of the XX century. The key role in strategy of physiological investigations is played by study of the nature of regulation of individual processes providing activity of the organism as a whole. By the example of study of renal function there are discussed the issue of integration of its incretory and secretory functions, elucidation of the mechanism of activity of regulatory systems with taking into account the wide diversity of types and subtypes of receptors, interaction of numerous variants of cotransporters, pumps, water and ion channels, which eventually provides the amazing efficiency of the coordinated work of several organs and systems for stabilization of physical-chemical parameters of the internal environment. Development of physiology is of importance for progress of natural science and clinical medicine, as its achievements facilitate discovery of mechanisms of physiological functions, elucidation of defect of the locus underlying dysfunction.

Describes the development of an electronic textbook in human physiology at the Georgetown University Medical Center Library that was designed to enhance learning and visualization through a prototype knowledge base of core instructional materials stored in digital format on Macintosh computers. The use of computers in the medical curriculum is…

Full Text Available This mini-review focuses on the effects of exercise on sleep. In its early days, sleep research largely focused on central nervous system (CNS physiology using standardized tabulations of several sleep-specific landmark electroencephalogram (EEG waveforms. Though coarse, this method has enabled the observation and inspection of numerous uninterrupted sleep phenomena. Thus, research on the effects of exercise on sleep began, in the 1960’s, with a focus primarily on sleep EEG (CNS sleep changes. Those early studies found only small effects of exercise on sleep. More recent sleep research has explored not only CNS functioning, but somatic physiology as well. As physical exercise mostly affects somatic functions, endocrine and autonomic nervous system (ANS changes that occur during sleep should be affected by daytime exercise. Since endocrinological, metabolic and autonomic changes can be measured during sleep, it should be possible to assess exercise effects on somatic physiology in addition to CNS sleep quality, building from standard polysomnographic (PSG techniques. Incorporating measures of somatic physiology in the quantitative assessment of sleep could further our understanding of sleep's function as an auto-regulatory, global phenomenon.

Starling's law of the heart states that "the energy of contraction, however measured, is a function of the length of the muscle fibre" (Starling, 1915). This physiological property of myocardial and skeletal muscle enables the heart, within certain limits, to eject during each systole the amount

Many of the established positive health benefits of exercise have been documented by historical discoveries in the field of exercise physiology. These investigations often assess limits: the limits of performance, or the limits of exercise-induced health benefits. Indeed, several key findings have...

Septoriosis is a harmful disease of wheat, widespread all over the world, including Russia. Stagonospora nodorum (Berk.) Castellani and E.G. Germano is one of the main agents of Septoria wheat diseases. There is no information on physiological specialization of this pathogen. Not many authors stud...

We call into question the idea that birds have not evolved unique physiological adaptations to desert environments. The rate at which desert larks metabolize energy is lower than in mesic species within the same family, and this lower rate of living translates into a lower overall energy requirement

This paper briefly reviews some works on reproductive physiology in cetaceans with special reference to dolphins from the following aspects: estrous cycle in female dolphins, hormonal profiles during pregnancy, testosterone levels and seasonality in testicular activity, ovulation induction and sperm collection and freezing.

Water polo has been played for over a century. While the rules of the game have evolved considerably over this time, the sport has consistently remained, physiologically, a highly demanding activity. Much attention has been paid to the technical and strategic elements of the game; however, despite the potential for improvements in athletic performance and the maintenance of athletes' health, there are few published studies (particularly in English) on the physical and physiological demands and adaptations to water polo training and competition. Game analyses have demonstrated that water polo is an 'intermittent' sport comprised of intense bursts of activity of movements required for playing water polo also place considerable demands on the neuromuscular system. Observations of the frequency and duration of the different activities, and of the physiological responses to participating in a water polo match, are initial sources of information for designing training programmes specific to the game and to the different playing positions. The physical and physiological attributes of elite water polo players offer some insight into the minimum requirements for participation and the adaptations that result from training and competition. Further systematic documentation and experimentation are required to facilitate the design and specification of individual training programmes and to better understand the long term effects of water polo on athletes' health.

To be successful, intranasal operations must be so designed as to restore the normal physiologic function of the nose. It is impossible with impunity to operate upon the interior of the nose as though it were simply an air flue and on the sinuses as though they were boxes. PMID:15400563

1 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Physiological Monitoring in Diving Mammals Andreas...825-2025 email: andreas.fahlman@tamucc.edu Peter L. Tyack School of Biology Sea Mammal Research Unit Scottish Oceans Institute...OBJECTIVES This project is separated into three aims: Aim 1: Develop a new generation of tags/data logger for marine mammals that will

Full Text Available Major evolutionary trends in animal physiology have been heavily influenced by atmospheric O2 levels. Amongst other important factors, the increase in atmospheric O2 which occurred in the Pre-Cambrian and the development of aerobic respiration beckoned the evolution of animal organ systems that were dedicated to the absorption and transportation of O2, e.g., the respiratory and cardiovascular systems of vertebrates. Global variations of O2 levels in post-Cambrian periods have also been correlated with evolutionary changes in animal physiology, especially cardiorespiratory function. Oxygen transportation systems are, in our view, ultimately controlled by the brain related mechanisms, which senses changes in O2 availability and regulates autonomic and respiratory responses that ensure the survival of the organism in the face of hypoxic challenges. In vertebrates, the major sensorial system for oxygen sensing and responding to hypoxia is the peripheral chemoreflex neuronal pathways, which includes the oxygen chemosensitive glomus cells and several brainstem regions involved in the autonomic regulation to the cardiovascular system and respiratory control. In this review we discuss the concept that regulating O2 homeostasis was one of the primordial roles of the nervous system. We also review the physiology of the peripheral chemoreflex, focusing on the integrative repercussions of chemoreflex activation and the evolutionary importance of this system, which is essential for the survival of complex organisms such as vertebrates. The contribution of hypoxia and peripheral chemoreflex for the development of diseases associated to the cardiovascular and respiratory systems is also discussed in an evolutionary context.

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)—highly crystalline hybrid materials that combine metal ions with rigid organic ligands—have emerged as an important class of porous materials. The organic ligands add flexibility and diversity to the chemical structures and functions of these materials. In this Account, we summarize our laboratory’s experience in tuning the topology and functionality of MOFs by ligand design. These investigations have led to new materials with interesting properties. By using a ligand that can adopt different symmetry conformations through free internal bond rotation, we have obtained two MOFs that are supramolecular stereoisomers of each other at different reaction temperatures. In another case, where the dimerized ligands function as a D₃-Piedfort unit spacer, we achieve chiral (10,3)-a networks. In the design of MOF-based materials for hydrogen and methane storage, we focused on increasing the gas affinity of frameworks by using ligands with different geometries to control the pore size and effectively introduce unsaturated metal centers (UMCs) into the framework. Framework interpenetration in PCN-6 (PCN stands for porous coordination network) can lead to higher hydrogen uptake. Because of the proper alignment of the UMCs, PCN-12 holds the record for uptake of hydrogen at 77 K/760 Torr. In the case of methane storage, PCN-14 with anthracene-derived ligand achieves breakthrough storage capacity, at a level 28% higher than the U.S. Department of Energy target. Selective gas adsorption requires a pore size comparable to that of the target gas molecules; therefore, we use bulky ligands and network interpenetration to reduce the pore size. In addition, with the help of an amphiphilic ligand, we were able to use temperature to continuously change pore size in a 2D layer MOF. Adding charge to an organic ligand can also stabilize frameworks. By ionizing the amine group within mesoMOF-1, the resulting electronic repulsion keeps the network from

Amphiphilic, monolayer-protected gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have recently been shown to insert into and fuse with lipid bilayers, driven by the hydrophobic effect. The inserted transmembrane state is stabilized by the "snorkeling" of charged ligand end groups out of the bilayer interior. This snorkeling process is facilitated by the backbone flexibility of the alkanethiol ligands that comprise the monolayer. In this work, we show that fusion is favorable even in the absence of backbone flexibility by modeling the ligands as rigid rods. For rigid ligands, snorkeling is still accommodated by rotations of the ligand with respect to the grafting point, but the process incurs a more significant free energy penalty than if the backbone were fully flexible. We show that the rigid rod model predicts similar trends in the free energy change for insertion as the previous flexible model when the size of the AuNPs is varied. However, the rigidity of the ligand backbone reduces the overall magnitude of the free energy change compared to that of the flexible model. These results thus generalize previous findings to systems with hindered backbone flexibility due to either structural constraints or low temperature.

Riboswitches are structural elements in the 5′ untranslated regions of many bacterial messenger RNAs that regulate gene expression in response to changing metabolite concentrations by inhibition of either transcription or translation initiation. The preQ1 (7-aminomethyl-7-deazaguanine) riboswitch family comprises some of the smallest metabolite sensing RNAs found in nature. Once ligand-bound, the transcriptional Bacillus subtilis and translational Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis preQ1 riboswitch aptamers are structurally similar RNA pseudoknots; yet, prior structural studies have characterized their ligand-free conformations as largely unfolded and folded, respectively. In contrast, through single molecule observation, we now show that, at near-physiological Mg2+ concentration and pH, both ligand-free aptamers adopt similar pre-folded state ensembles that differ in their ligand-mediated folding. Structure-based Gō-model simulations of the two aptamers suggest that the ligand binds late (Bacillus subtilis) and early (Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis) relative to pseudoknot folding, leading to the proposal that the principal distinction between the two riboswitches lies in their relative tendencies to fold via mechanisms of conformational selection and induced fit, respectively. These mechanistic insights are put to the test by rationally designing a single nucleotide swap distal from the ligand binding pocket that we find to predictably control the aptamers′ pre-folded states and their ligand binding affinities. PMID:24003028

Full Text Available Understanding how protein structures and functions have diversified is a central goal in molecular evolution. Surveys of very divergent proteins from model organisms, however, are often insufficient to determine the features of ancestral proteins and to reveal the evolutionary events that yielded extant diversity. Here we combine genomic, biochemical, functional, structural, and phylogenetic analyses to reconstruct the early evolution of nuclear receptors (NRs, a diverse superfamily of transcriptional regulators that play key roles in animal development, physiology, and reproduction. By inferring the structure and functions of the ancestral NR, we show--contrary to current belief--that NRs evolved from a ligand-activated ancestral receptor that existed near the base of the Metazoa, with fatty acids as possible ancestral ligands. Evolutionary tinkering with this ancestral structure generated the extraordinary diversity of modern receptors: sensitivity to different ligands evolved because of subtle modifications of the internal cavity, and ligand-independent activation evolved repeatedly because of various mutations that stabilized the active conformation in the absence of ligand. Our findings illustrate how a mechanistic dissection of protein evolution in a phylogenetic context can reveal the deep homology that links apparently "novel" molecular functions to a common ancestral form.

The spatiotemporal organization of cytokine receptors in the plasma membrane is still debated with models ranging from ligand-independent receptor pre-dimerization to ligand-induced receptor dimerization occurring only after receptor uptake into endosomes. Here, we explore the molecular and cellular determinants governing the assembly of the type II interleukin-4 receptor, taking advantage of various agonists binding the receptor subunits with different affinities and rate constants. Quantitative kinetic studies using artificial membranes confirm that receptor dimerization is governed by the two-dimensional ligand-receptor interactions and identify a critical role of the transmembrane domain in receptor dimerization. Single molecule localization microscopy at physiological cell surface expression levels, however, reveals efficient ligand-induced receptor dimerization by all ligands, largely independent of receptor binding affinities, in line with the similar STAT6 activation potencies observed for all IL-4 variants. Detailed spatiotemporal analyses suggest that kinetic trapping of receptor dimers in actin-dependent microcompartments sustains robust receptor dimerization and signalling.

The Pseudomonas aeruginosa quinolone signal (PQS) is a quorum sensing molecule that plays an important role in regulating the virulence of this organism. We have purified the ligand binding domain of the receptor PqsRLBD for PQS and have used Förster resonance energy transfer fluorimetry...

Platelets are increasingly recognized as important for inflammation in addition to thrombosis. Platelets promote the adhesion of neutrophils [polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs)] to the endothelium; P-selectin and P-selectin glycoprotein ligand (PSGL)-1 have been suggested to participate in these i...

The central nervous system glutamate receptors are an important target for drug discovery. Herein we report initial investigations into the synthesis and glutamate receptor activity of 1,2,3-triazolyl amino acids. Two compounds were found to be selective AMPA receptor ligands, which warrant further...